Laclede County Authorities To Set Up Tip Line To Help Identify "The Lady In The Box":

A tip line should be in place by early next week to help investigators in Laclede County identify a woman whose body was found encased in concrete inside a tool box.

Hunters found the locked plastic toolbox that held the white females body on November 15th on AA near Kinfolk Road not far from Lebanon.

Laclede County Sheriff Richard Wrinkle says, "she was basically sitting in the box with her knees up and the concrete was poured over her."

The forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy estimated the woman to be between 25 - 40 years of age. She was about 5' 5" to 5'8" tall and had brown hair that was about 7 to 10 inches long. He estimated that she had been dead about 10 days.

After medical examiners chipped away the concrete that surrounded the woman's body, they discovered that she was wearing pajamas (no bra, underwear or socks); had had her wisdom teeth and a molar pulled; her ears had been pierced one time; she was well manicured and had undergone a laparoscopic gall bladder surgery and full hysterectomy.

At first Laclede County Coroner Steve Murrell believed the woman didn't have any tattoos......no he's not so sure. He says, "she could have had a small tattoo on the bottom part of her leg, ankle or foot; her lower legs and feet were too decomposed for us to tell."

The drying properties of the concrete hindered officials from getting a facial profile on the murder victim, but they do have dental x-rays, fingerprints and a DNA profile is being processed at the Missouri Highway Patrol Crime Lab in Jefferson City.

Authorities don't believe the dead woman was a longtime local, but that she could have recently moved to the area and that whomever murdered her, "has not reported her missing."

Authorities are sending deputies out to collect DNA samples from people who think they could be related to the unidentified woman. If you think you might know who this woman is, or that you could be related to her call the Laclede County Sheriff's office at 417-532-2311 or the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) at 1-866-362-6422.

Murell adds, "I hope by next week you're not going to be able to go anywhere in the United States and not hear people talking about this case. This woman has a family, and we want to get her home."

Rolland Comstock Case Still On Hold.....Sheriff Elect Doesn't Anticipate Report Being Finalized Before January:

Alberta Comstock wants the wrongful death lawsuit filed against her by her daughter dismissed.

A year after Rolland Comstock was killed, his daughter, Faith Stocker, filed the lawsuit against her mother Alberta. Alberta Comstock and Michael Comstock have been named persons of interest in the death of the former State Representative and probate attorney.

No charges have been filed against Alberta Comstock, or anyone else in Rolland Comstocks death; and that is the basis of a motion that her attorney filed with the court last month.

Sheriff elect Jim Arnott told me today that "I don't anticipate the sheriffs department report making it to the prosecutors office before January."

According to Arnott, there is a new investigator looking at the case that has not been involved in the case before now. Arnott says, "that investigator is researching and studying this case from the beginning," adding "we don't want any surprises to pop up after we present our case to the prosecutor.....we want to do the surprising."

Jerry Broyles Pleads Guilty To Beating Zach Jones To Death

A man who beat a teenager to death in a city park in Lebanon last year has received a life sentence for the crime.

The murder trial of Jerry Broyles II was to begin today. However, he ended up pleading guilty to second degree murder, armed criminal action and assault charges in the death of 17 year-old Zachary Jones and the vicious beating of Matthew Bankston.
(above pic: Zach Jones KY3)

By pleading guilty Broyles acknowledges that he beat Jones and Bankston with a baseball bat and medal rod at Atchley Park in Lebanon in June of 2007.

Jones and Bankston had gone to the park to talk to Broyles, Terry Dunkin and Kimberly Dunkin and two juveniles about text messages that were sent to Broyles' girlfriends cell phone.


A friend that accompanied Jones and Bankston to the park was able to break away from the fight and called authorities for help.

Terry Dunkin, who was Broyles brother, hanged himself in jail two months after being charged with Jones' murder; his wife, Kimberly's trial is scheduled to begin next month in Moniteau County where it was moved on a change of venue.

Matthew Bankston is still recovering from the wounds he received in the beating. Doctors didn't think that Bankston would walk again and thought that he would be paralyzed on one side of his body.

He still suffers from severe emotional and physical pain associated with his wounds. However, last month in a sheer display of determination, he walked to a vigil to oppose a judges ruling at Zach's house, a gazebo that was built in Atchley Park to honor the memory of his friend who lost his life.

The ruling that Bankston and Tina Jones (Zach's mother) opposed had to do with Nathan Gibbs. Gibbs, who was fifteen at the time of Jones death and Bankston's beating was charged with first degree murder and felony assault in the case.

On October 31st a judge reduced Gibbs' bond from $100,000 to $5,000. That means that Gibbs someone only has to post $500.00 to get out of jail.

If he does make bond, he will be held on house arrest as he awaits the start of his trial. No trial date has been scheduled in his case.


*****NOTE: Broyles received 2 life sentences. He also received seven years in prison for possession of marijuana in an unrelated case.
Life in the state of Missouri is thirty years in prison. Those sentences are to be served concurrently (at the same time.)

https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/base/welcome.do
07LA-CR01427-01 - ST V NATHAN EUGENE GIBBS

07LA-CR00690-02 - ST V KIMBERLY ELAINE DUNKIN

Laclede County Sheriff Is Asking National Media To Help Identify Woman Found Encased In Concrete:

The Laclede County sheriffs office is hoping that with the help of the national media they can identify a woman whose body was found encased in concrete.

Hunters found the woman's body in a 4 1/2 foot by 2 foot hinged plastic toolbox in the woods near Lebanon on November 15th. Investigators believe that the woman had been folded and placed in the box, and then concrete poured on top of her.

The white woman, who was in her pajamas, was approximately 25 to 40 years old, between 5 foot 5 and 5 foot 8 and had brown hair that was about 7 to ten inches long. Her ears had been pierced once and she had no tattoos.

Laclede County Coroner, Steve Murell, believes the woman was dead about 10 days to two weeks. Murrell says, "the drying concrete pulled the moisture out of the woman's body making it difficult to get a facial profile." The concrete did preserve some evidence though, authorities were able to lift fingerprints from the woman's body and recover DNA from her as well.

Murrell adds that he doesn't believe the dead woman was a longtime local, but that she could have recently moved to the area and that whomever murdered her, "has not reported her missing."

Murrell is asking the public to think about neighbors and acquaintances that they may not have seen in sometime, "someone is missing this woman....we need to find out who she is and get her back to her family."

The woman had undergone laproscopic gall bladder surgery as well as a full hysterectomy. The medical examiner believes she had delivered at least one child.

If you know who this woman is call the Laclede County sheriff's office at 417-532-2311.

Two People Found Shot To Death In Dallas County:

UPDATED: Authorities in Dallas County have determined that a double shooting near Plad on Sunday was a murder - suicide.


Dallas County Sheriff Mike Rackley says that Randy Marsh shot Marlys Marsh two times in the back of the head before turning the gun on himself in the living room of the couples home on Wolf Spirit Road.

Funeral arrangements for Marlys Marsh are being handled by Cantlon Otterness Funeral Home in Buffalo. Randy Marsh will be buried Cass Lake, Minnesota.

Fight Over Money Leads To Stabbing In Branson:

An alleged fight over money early Saturday morning ends with one man being stabbed and another in jail.

Authorities say that, Tyson Roberts, 30, was stabbed three times in the stomach in front of Docs Sports Bar. He was taken to Skaggs Community Health Center in Branson with non-life threatening injuries.

The alleged attacker, Steven Collins, 42, from Russellville, Arkansas was found hiding in the woods behind the Hillbilly Country Motel not far from where the altercation took place.

Collins is being held in the Taney County jail on $150,000 bond.

Springfield Man Facing Felony Drug Charges Following Car Accident:

A Springfield man who crashed his car in Nixa on Wednesday is sitting in the Christian County jail on felony drug charges.

According to court records, Charles Luis Padron, 48, is charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.

When cops responded to the one car crash on Old Castle Road in Nixa, a witness told them that they saw the man involved in the crash place a grey bag over a concrete wall.

Christian County prosecutor Ron Cleek says, "that when authorities recovered the bag they found Charles Luis Padron' checkbook, day planner, cell phone and wallet......and 30 grams of a white powdery substance that field tested positive for cocaine." Court records say that Padron told cops that the bag was his.

This isn't Padron's first run in with the law involving cocaine, he has a federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute over a kilo of cocaine.

Padron, who has pleaded not guilty, is being held in the Christian County jail on fifty thousand dollars bond.

https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/base/welcome.do

08N8-CR02059 - ST V CHARLES L PADRON

Fight Over Meth Led To Howell County Mans Death:

An alleged fight over methamphetamine was the catalyst that led to the death of a young man from Howell County.

Court documents say that Ricky J. Johnson was at the home of Jared Graven and his brother Jonnathan late in the evening of November 14th and the early morning hours of November 15th, 2008.

In the probable cause statement investigators say that Johnson was under the influence of prescription medication when he went to lay down in the bedroom of Jared Graven. The document goes on to state that while Johnson was sleeping the Graven brothers allegedly stole meth out of the pockets of Johnson's pants and vehicle.

The court document says that when Johnson awoke he confronted the Graven brothers about the alleged theft and a fight broke out. It was during that fight the Graven brothers allegedly "hit and stomped" Johnson, causing his death.

Investigator Shannon Caldwell writes in his report that after placing Johnson's body in the young mans newly purchased car, Jared Graven drove Johnson's vehicle to a rural Howell County farmhouse. Once there authorities say the brothers parked the vehicle in the garage and set torched it.

When officers served a search warrant on the residence of the Gravens at 3823 County Road 6340 near West Plains on November 18th, they noticed that there was no bed in Jared Gravens bedroom, and that there was fresh paint in different rooms in the house, as well as new linoleum and carpet in different parts of the house. During that search investigators seized several articles that appear to have blood evidence on them.

Authorities finally caught up with the brothers at the Tally Ho Motel in Thayer on November 19th. During a search of the room and a pick-up truck of the Graven's, "blood evidence was located and collected from the inside of the vehicle."

UPDATE: Preliminary hearings are scheduled for February 6, 2009 for the Jonnathan Graven's, and January 14, 2009, for Jared Graven. There has not been a change of venue motion filed with the court yet in either case, but I do anticipate that happening.

The Gravens remain in the Howell County jail on one million dollars bail.



*****Photos from The West Plains Daily Quill:
Top photo: Jared Graven
Bottom photo: Jonnathan Graven

https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/base/welcome.do

08C3-CR01662 - ST V JONNATHAN D GRAVEN

08C3-CR01663 - ST V JARED D GRAVEN

Two Brothers Charged With Ricky J. Johnson's Murder:

Two brothers from West Plains have been charged with murder in connection to a weekend fire that led to the discovery of a dead body last Saturday in Howell County.

The body of Ricky Johnson was found inside his newly purchased vehicle after firefighters extinguished a fire in the detached garage of a house that was undergoing extensive remodeling.

A native of the Pottersville, Johnson, was a 2004 graduate of Willow Springs High School.

Charged with Johnson's murder are, Jared "Skip" Graven, 23, and his 31 year-old brother, Jonnathan Graven. Both men also face additional charges of arson, tampering with a motor vehicle, and abandonment of a corpse.

Sheriff Robbie Crites says that a little after 8:30 on Tuesday evening officers with the West Plains/Howell County SWAT team served a search warrant at 3823 County Road 6340 and found no one at the residence.

While at the house Crites said, "investigators discovered what appeared to be new linoleum on the floor as well as fresh paint on the walls in some parts of the residence. Several items were discovered and seized as evidence."

New leads took cops to a motel room in Thayer where four men were taken into custody about 8:30 a.m. yesterday morning. According to Crites, "two were later released and additional items were seized following the execution of a search warrant for the motel room and search warrants for two vehicles."

Additionally Crites says, "again, we want to express our condolences to the Johnson family. The investigators have virtually worked around the clock since this happened. I’m not sure the public realizes the effort and time that goes into these types of cases and I’m thankful to these other agencies and investigators for their help."

Assisting the Howell County sheriffs department with their investigation are officers with the Missouri State Fire Marshal Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol - division of drug and crime control and MSHP Crime Lab, the South-Central Drug Task Force, the West Plains Police Department, the West Plains/Howell County SWAT team, the Thayer Police Department, the Oregon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The Graven brother are also being held on parole violations. There is no bond available for those charges.


######

Press Release: November 20,2008:

On Tuesday, November 18, at approximately 2240 hours a search warrant was served by members of the West Plains/Howell County SWAT team at a residence located at 3823 County Road 6340. No occupants were found in the residence. Investigators processed the scene for evidence in relation to the death of Ricky J. Johnson, age 22 of Pottersville, whose body was located at the burnt garage on County Road 6420 on Saturday, November 15. Investigators discovered what appeared to be new linoleum on the floor as well as fresh paint on the walls in some parts of the residence. Several items were discovered and seized as evidence.
On Wednesday, November 19, at approximately 0838 hours four individuals were taken into custody for questioning. All four were located in a motel room in Thayer and were arrested without incident. Two were later released and additional items were seized following the execution of a search warrant for the motel room and search warrants for two vehicles.
The investigation has resulted in the arrest of two brothers from West Plains. Warrants for Murder, Arson, Tampering with a Motor Vehicle, and Abandonment of a Corpse have been issued and served on Jonnathan D. Graven, age 31, and Jared D. "Skip" Graven, age 23, both of West Plains and both are being held on $1,000,000 bond at the Howell County Jail. In addition, both are being held for parole violations with no bond.
Sheriff Robbie Crites stated, "Again, we want to express our condolences to the Johnson family. The investigators have virtually worked around the clock since this happened. I’m not sure the public realizes the effort and time that goes into these types of cases and I’m thankful to these other agencies and investigators for their help."
Agencies involved in the investigation include the Howell County Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri State Fire Marshal Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol - Division of Drug and Crime Control and MSHP Crime Lab, the South-Central Drug Task Force, the West Plains Police Department, the West Plains/Howell County SWAT team, the Thayer Police Department, the Oregon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Missouri Department of Conservation.
**Sheriff Crites cautioned that the charges contained in warrants are simply accusations and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented in a court of law where guilt or innocence is determined.**

Man Found In Burning Garage Near West Plains Positvely Identified...Four People Taken In For Questioning:

DNA testing has revealed the identity of the man found dead inside a burning garage in Howell County last Weekend.

Howell County sheriff, Robbie Crites, says that it was 22 year-old Ricky J. Johnson, of Pottersville. Crites says, "We had a pretty good idea of who it was shortly after the fire, however, it was impossible to confirm without DNA. We contacted family members, obtained DNA samples and the crime lab was able to rush the testing and confirm the victim was Mr. Johnson. We are doing everything in our power to find out exactly what happened."

A call came into 911 about 7:45 Saturday morning from a driver who wanted to report a structure fire at 4580 County Road 6420, just west of West Plains. Once the blaze was put out, firefighters discovered the mans body inside a car he had recently purchased.

Sources close to the investigation tell me that four people were taken into custody today for questioning in connection with Johnson's death. Two have been released, while the other two remain in the county jail. There could be warrants issued for their arrest tomorrow; they could be facing charges on some unrelated crimes as well.

Investigators have not ruled out foul play in Johnson's death and are awaiting toxicology reports to determine if he was dead before the fire started.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Howell County Sheriff’s Office criminal investigations division; the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office; and the Missouri State Highway Patrol - Division of Drug and Crime Control.

Anyone with information concerning this investigation is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 417-256-2544.

Autopsy Determines That Body Found Inside Burning Garage Was A Man:

An autopsy was conducted today by Southwest Missouri Forensics in Springfield on a body found inside a burning garage in Howell County last weekend.

Forensic pathologists determined that the body was that of a man, and that he was probably dead before the fire was started.

Howell County sheriff, Robbie Crites says, "the mans death is suspicious and that foul play has not been ruled in, nor positively determined to be the cause of death."

Toxicology results should be back in about a month. A sophisticated test ,called a carbonoxy-hemoglobin, will be able to determine if the man was dead before the fire started.

Investigators have come up with a possible identity for the man, however, confirmation is pending. Sheriff Crites also stated, "generally identification can be confirmed by scars, tattoos, and dental records and if those fail, DNA testing. We are working on these and hopefully will have something by next week."

The investigation is being conducted by the Howell County Sheriff’s Office criminal investigations division; the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office; and the Missouri State Highway Patrol - Division of Drug and Crime Control. Anyone with information concerning this investigation is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 417-256-2544.

# # #

Press Release:

An autopsy was conducted today on the body found at a fire scene on County Road 6420, west of West Plains on Saturday, November 14. The results of the autopsy have not been completed and toxicology results are not expected back for several weeks.

Sheriff Robbie Crites stated that foul play has not been ruled out, nor positively determined to be the cause of death, "This is a ongoing investigation and we're still looking at several possibilities. We do ask for anyone with information about the fire to call the Sheriff's Office.

"A possible identity has been discovered, however, confirmation is pending further test results. Sheriff Crites also stated, "I can confirm the body is that of a male, but we are still awaiting a positive ID. Generally identification can be confirmed by scars, tattoos, dental records and if those fail, DNA testing. We are working on these and hopefully will have something by next week."

The investigation is ongoing and being conducted by the Howell County Sheriff's Office - Criminal Investigations Division, the Missouri State Fire Marshal's Office, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol - Division of Drug and Crime Control. Anyone with information concerning this investigation is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 417-256-2544.

Further information will be released as warranted.

###

Medical Examiner Says That Body Hunters Found In Plastic Hinged Box Was A Woman:

The body that hunters discovered in a tool box type container near AA and Kinfolk Road in Laclede County last Saturday was definitely a woman, and it was definitely a homicide.

Laclede County coroner, Steve Murrell, says, " I'm surprised no one has reported this woman missing." Murrell said that the woman was well cared for, and had had her wisdom teeth and a molar pulled. She also had undergone a laporoscopic gall bladder surgery and a full hysterectomy.

The woman according to Murrell, "was in her pajamas and found in a heavy plastic hinged container that was about four and half feet long by two foot wide that ." Murrell says that cops had to use bolt cutters to get into the container.

The woman is described as being a white woman between 25 and 40 years of age who was approximately 5' 5" and 5' 8" tall, weighed about 135 lbs., and had medium length (between 7 & 10 inches) brown hair. It is also believed that she probably delivered at least one child. In addition, the coroner says, "she was well manicured, had no tattoos, and her ears had been pierced at least once."

Murell says that "she was folded up in that container, and then concrete was poured on top of her......we do have a cause of death, however, we're not releasing it at this time" Murrell said that it is believed the woman had been dead for about ten days to two weeks before her body was discovered.

Investigators with the Missouri Highway patrol are assisting detectives in Laclede county with their investigation. Murrell says he does not believe the woman was local and that authorities are searching missing persons records in Missouri and surrounding states hoping to catch a break in identifying her.

If you have any information that can assist investigators call the Laclede County Sheriff's department at 417-532-2311.

Man Who Eluded Springfield Authorities For Five Months On Trial This Week:

VERDICT: A jury has found Darrell Tipton guilty of first degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon in the 2005 stabbing and beating of Cindy Coop-Trent.

After four days of testimony the jury got the case this morning and after several hours of deliberations delivered their verdict late this afternoon.

Tipton could get up to thirty years in prison on the assault convictions and a minimum three years for the armed criminal action convictions. Because Tipton is considered a prior and persistent offender, he could also get an additional seven years in prison for the unlawful use of a weapon conviction.

Tipton is scheduled to be sentenced on February 20,2009.



UPDATE: 10-21-08

Both sides have rested in the trial of Darrell Tipton. He is the man accused of beating Cindy Coop-Trent in the head with a skillet and then stabbing the woman back in 2005.

After the attack, Tipton ran to Tennessee and was on the run from lawmen for several months. He was eventually arrested after authorities called his mothers house and told them they were on their way to come and arrest him......what he didn't know was that they had his mothers home surrounded, and arrested Tipton as he attempted to leave in his nephews vehicle.

Prosecuting attorney, Russ Dempsey called a jailhouse snitch to the stand yesterday. The snitch, according to the Springfield NewsLeader, asked Tipton if what was being said in the paper about him killing Cindy Coop-Trent was true. The jailhouse "rat" says that Tipton told him he picked the skillet it up and "wore it out on her."

Defense attorney, Stuart Huffman, told jurors that they shouldn't trust the testimony of the jailhouse informant who plays games with prosecutors for his benefit.

Only one witness was called on behalf of the defendant, another inmate who was in the Greene County jail the same time as Tipton. He told jurors that he had never seen "the rat" speak to Tipton.

The last few witness called were a crime analyst with the Missouri Highway Patrol Crime Lab in Jefferson City and the Greene County Medical Examiner.

The crime analyst testified that DNA found on the broken handle of the skillet found near Coop-Trent's body is consistent with Tiptons;
the medical examiner testified that Coop-Trent suffered a single knife wound to the back, a chipped tooth, bruised lips and blunt force trauma to the head in the attack.




UPDATE: (11-20-08) Prosecutors continued presenting their case against Tipton yesterday. They called several inmates that had been in the Greene County jail with the 51 year-old man. Most of them said that Tipton admitted to beating Cindy Coop-Trent in the head with a skillet and stabbing her too.
However, there was one inmate who said said he couldn't recall actually hearing Tipton confess, even though he'd previously told authorities he had.

Investigators had been searching for months in the dense woods of the Appalachian mountains of northeastern Tennessee and northwestern North Carolina. Then they called Tipton's mothers house.

Jurors heard from Tipton's nephew, Abel Lopez, about how skittish his uncle was acting. Lopez had just gotten out of the shower when his uncle told them they had to leave quickly. Tipton was nervous and said they had to go; the cops had called and said they knew he was at his mothers house, and they were on the way to come and get him. What Tipton didn't know was that authorities were already surrounding him mother's house.

A law enforcement official with the Unicoi County Tenn, said that "As soon as that phone call was made, it was a matter of seconds before he was coming out the back door, carrying a bag that appeared to be a backpack and he was carrying a rifle in his other hand."

When Lopez and Tipton attempted to drive off, police vehicles converged on them, halting their attempted getaway.

########


UPDATE:(11-19-08) A jury has been seated and testimony began today in the trial of Darell L. Tipton. He is the man accused of stabbing and beating Cindy Coop-Trent. Prosecutors say that Tipton admitted his alleged involvement in the attack on Coop-Trent to a fellow inmate in the Greene County jail. His lawyer says that's not true.

Jurors heard from the victims son who said that after he was unable to contact his mother for several days, he informed his grandmother, who then contacted Coop-Trents landlord. The landlord recounted on the stand that he made entry in the house and found the woman's body. Prosecutors then played the landlord, Kirk Heyle', 911 call for jurors.

###
As of 4 o'clcok this afternoon a jury still has not been chosen in the trial of a man who was on the run from authorities for five months after allegedly attacking a woman in her home nearly three and a half years ago.

Darrell Lynn Tipton is on trial for two counts of first degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, and a single count of unlawful use of a weapon for stabbing and hitting Cindy Coop-Trent in the back of the head with a skillet.
The thirty eight year-old mother of three died in July of the same year from an overdose of an antidepressant/and possibly the wounds inflicted on her by Tipton.

Authorities launched an intense two-week manhunt for Tipton in the treacherous terrain of the Appalachian Mountains in northeastern Tennessee and northwestern North Carolina after they received a tip where Tipton could be found. That lead did not pan out for cops.

However, their tenacity in tracking the man down paid off in the fall of 2005, when Tipton was picked up not long after leaving his mothers house in Unicoi County, Tenn.

The Sheriff of Unicoi County, Ken Harris, says that Tipton has vowed to kill every officer in his path, if and when he is released from jail. It is a threat that law enforcers are taking seriously. When Tipton was arrested cops found a pistol, rifle, several knifes and at least one thousand rounds of ammunition inside a car he was in.

Tipton, who has used at least a dozen aliases escaped from jail in 1990, and is a person of interest in connection with several other crimes, including three homicides in Florida.

https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/base/welcome.do:
31306CF4480 - ST V DARRELL LYNN TIPTON

Hunters In Laclede County Make Grisly Discovery On Opening Day Of Firearms Deer Season:

On the opening day of firearms deer season two hunters on their way out of the woods found and "plastic tool box type container," off of AA in Laclede County, and the smell that was coming from that container made them uneasy.

After the hunters couldn't pry the top of the container off, they called the cops. Authorities believe that the container was pushed from a vehicle down a steep embankment before a barbed wire fence caught the container.

An inside source says, "that the container was locked and that deputies had to use bolt cutters to get inside." What investigators found inside was startling; "what appears to be a woman's decomposing body surrounded in several hundred pounds of concrete."

After investigators wrapped the container in plastic it took several deputies to lift the container onto a truck for transport to Springfield Mortuary where an autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow.

The Laclede County sheriffs department and the Missouri Highway Patrol are searching databases in Missouri and surrounding states to see if there are any missing persons reports that may help them in determining who this woman is.

If you have any information that can help them call 417-532-2311.

Unidentified Body Found In Howell County Fire:

Authorities in Howell County are asking for the publics help with a weekend fire in a vacant garage where a body was found.

A call came into 911 about 7:45 Saturday morning from a driver who wanted to report a structure fire at 4580 County Road 6420, just west of West Plains.

Rural firefighters from Howell County along with the Potersville fire department responded and found a detatached garage next to a vacant house on fire. Sheriff Robbie Crites says that, "after first responders put the blaze out they discovered a body in the garage."

The gender and identity of the body has not yet been determined. An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow morning in Springfield, and Crites says that he "hopes to have a preliminary cause of death tomorrow afternoon."

The investigation is being conducted by the state fire marshal, Howell County Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Sheriff Crites says that anyone with information about the fire can call the sheriff’s department at 417-256-2544

Troop D Assistant Zone Commander In Christian County Promoted To Corporal:

The Missouri Highway Patrol announced a few days ago that trooper Shane Rowe has been promoted to Corporal effective November 1, 2008. He is the assistant zone commander for Christian County.

Shane is one of the nicest people I have ever dealt with in law enforcement. When I worked at the Christian County prosecutors office I dealt with Trooper Rowe several times a week. He has been with the patrol since 1999, and transferred to Troop D, (southwest Missouri's troop) in 2002.

Not only was he ALWAYS courteous, he always took the time to ask how I was. Okay...not just me, but you get it. Nice guy, who deserves the recognition. Good Luck, Shane!

Oh yeah, one other thing you should be aware of.....don't speed through Christian County, because the majority of tickets written there by the patrol have Rowe's signature attached to them.

Former St. Johns Health Employee Suspected Of Secretly Videotaping Naked Women:

Authorities in Springfield say a former health trainer at St. Johns Health Tracks Facility on South Fremont allegedly convinced four females, one of them a minor, to weigh themselves naked, while he secretly video recorded it.

The man who is in his late 20's was fired from his job, but, has so far not been charged with a crime. The Springfield News-Leader reported Friday that he admitted what he did to police. He could face federal child pornography charges in the case of the minor, and second degree invasion of privacy charges in the others.

A search warrant served on the suspect says that the health care trainer told the women to weigh nude to obtain a more accurate weight, and that he allegedly moved the scales into a secluded room for privacy.

Records show that police found two videotapes in a trash can at the man’s residence, and that he told them they contained footage of three young women and the teenager.

Preliminary Hearing Date Set For Myria Silva's Alleged Murderer:

The Article 32 Hearing (which is similar to a preliminary hearing) for the Fort Leonard Wood soldier accused of killing another soldiers wife is scheduled to be held in December at the post.

Spc. Jermaine Johnson was charged in mid October with premeditated murder, kidnapping, sodomy, adultery, intent to deceive or provide false statements, assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm and obstructing justice in the death of 23 year-old Myria Silva.

Johnson was arrested in the death of Silva on October 14th at Fort Leonard Wood. Authorities believe the young mother of two was killed on or about Oct. 10th, and her body dumped in a vacant farmhouse near Niangua in Webster County.

No details have been released by the post about how Silva died, but if Johnson's attorney's don't waive his prelim (that usually doesn't happen in a first degree murder preliminary hearing,) prosecutors will lay out there case on December 18th. A judge will then decide if there is enough probable cause for the Army medic to be tried for Silva's murder.

Johnson was serving in Fort Leonard Wood’s General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital as a health care specialist. If convicted of all charges, Johnson could receive the death penalty, or life in prison without the possibility of parole. He is being held in the Fort Knox Regional Confinement Facility in Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Myria Silva was married to another Fort Leonard Wood soldier, Pfc. Benjamin (Benji) Silva, who was deployed to Iraq at the time of her murder.

Her mother, Katie Duniphan, says that she has not received a copy of the autopsy report or incident report that she has requested from those investigating her daughters death. She says the most precious thing she has left are her grand daughters, Paris, and Millie.

Myria's father, Dave Middleton lives in Colorado.

Here is a link to Jermaine Johnson's MySpace page.

Trial Date Set In Rowan Ford Murder Case:

One year to the day that Rowan Ford was taken from the safety of her own bed in the middle of the night, one of her alleged killers had his trial date set.

Rowan was abducted from her bedroom on November 3rd, 2007. One week later her body was found inside a cave in McDonald County. Authorities allege that Rowan was raped and murdered at the trailer of her stepfathers friend Chris Collings in Barry County.

Barry County prosecutor, Johnnie Cox, told me that the trial is scheduled to begin on March 8, 2010. Cox expects jury selection in the death penalty case to take "at least a week." A judge handling the case in Phelps County has set aside March 8th through 26th for the trial setting. Cox says that Collings will appear in court again on December 3rd on a motion hearing where he is going to ask that hair be collected from the murder suspect. Collings case was moved to Phelps County on a change of venue

David Wesley Spears, Rowan's stepfather, is also facing the death penalty. His trail date will be set on December 3rd in Pulaski County where the case was moved on a change of venue.