Arraignment date set in Hannibal killing

HANNIBAL — Two men accused in the beating death of a Hannibal man face arraignment Oct. 21.

The arraignment date was set Monday for 21-year-old Nathan Stice and 22-year-old David Ater. Both are accused of second-degree murder and other charges in the death of 45-year-old Rodney Wood.

Wood was riding a scooter home from a party in the early hours of Aug. 10. Relatives have said he saw two men attacking a woman and stopped to help. The men allegedly turned on Wood, killing him.

But Ater gave detectives a different story, saying they were outside smoking cigarettes when Wood's scooter nearly struck them, then drove back toward them. Ater told police a scuffle ensued and that he hit Wood over the head with Wood's helmet.