Ethan Wade March was a 22-year-old White man from Moberly, Missouri, who was remembered for his brilliant, contagious smile and his passions for music and history. He had attended Moberly High School and was working toward obtaining his GED at the time of his death. In his free time, he loved camping, floating on rivers, and spending time with his friends and large, loving family.
On the afternoon of November 10, 2024, deputies from the Randolph County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a residence on County Road 2605, just south of Moberly. Arriving around 5:15 p.m., they found Ethan deceased in his home from a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. Investigators learned that the people responsible had fled the scene on foot immediately after the shooting.
An urgent manhunt began as deputies searched the surrounding area.
With the help of a drone provided by the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, they located two individuals hiding in a wooded area near a pond not far from the home. At approximately 7:15 p.m., just two hours after Ethan was found, the pair were taken into custody without incident.
The suspects were identified as a 16-year-old boy from Columbia and his 15-year-old girlfriend from Moberly, who were acquaintances of the victim. Both were turned over to the Randolph County Juvenile Office. The teenage boy was charged as a juvenile with second-degree murder and robbery, while the girl was charged with hindering a felony prosecution.
A year later, in November 2025, the male suspect, Da’Caveon Nelson, was 17 years old and certified to be tried as an adult. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and first-degree robbery. Court documents alleged that Nelson was visiting the residence when he forcibly stole a gun belonging to Ethan and shot him. Nelson was transferred from a juvenile facility to an adult detention center to await trial. As of November 2025, the case was proceeding through the adult court system.
