Youth charged in robbery-murder of Missouri visitor

<p>Police have charged a 19-year-old in the robbery-murder of a Missouri real estate agent who had come to town to attend a basic training graduation at nearby Fort Benning.</p><p>Joseph Allen Curry, 19, of Columbus was arrested Wednesday evening and charged with murdering James Hallam, 49, of Springfield, Mo., who was gunned down Dec. 14 while unloading his rental SUV in a motel parking lot, police said.</p><p>Hallam, his girlfriend, her sister and at least two children were visiting Columbus to watch the girlfriend's son graduate from basic training. He was unpacking their vehicle about 11 p.m. when Curry and possibly two others approached him, robbed him and shot him dead with a 9 mm pistol, police said.</p><p>The assailants left Hallam face down in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to the back of his neck, police said.</p><p>In addition to murder, Curry was charged with two counts of armed robbery, one count of aggravated assault and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, his arrest report stated.</p><p>The additional armed robbery and possession charges stem from the shooting of Juan Martinez, 23, in Columbus about 30 minutes before Hallam was killed.</p><p>Martinez was walking home about 10 p.m. when he was approached by three men. He was robbed, pushed to the ground then shot in the face, police said. According to Curry's arrest report, Martinez "suffered serious life-threatening, life-changing injuries."</p><p>Back in Springfield, Mo., Hallam ran a family owned real estate company started in 1941 by his grandfather, his brother, David Hallam, said.</p><p>David Hallam said Columbus police informed the family of Curry's arrest and said they were searching for his two accomplices.</p><p>"It's pretty tough," the brother said. "He ran everything. He was in charge of everything. He was the lead of a family of four."</p><p>Thousands visit Columbus each year to attend graduation ceremonies at Fort Benning, a major Army training center that transforms raw recruits into soldiers and offers many advanced courses as well.</p>