UPDATED: Six People Charged With First Degree Murder In Slaying Of Elderly Man:

UPDATE AT BOTTOM OF STORY:

Six people have been charged with first degree murder in the death of an elderly Springfield man last month.

Greene County Prosecutor Darrell Moore said he was contacted by police on January 12, 2009, about the crime and his office filed charges against the suspects on January 13th; They are:

• Theresa Rash, 49, 2019 N. Washington Ave., Springfield
• Alexandrea McNeely, 26, 2019 N. Washington Ave., Springfield (Theresa Rash's daughter)
• Rusty Amoss, 27, 620 W. Division St., Springfield
• Jeff Bloom, 48, 2019 N. Washington Ave., Springfield (Theresa Rash's boyfriend)
• Troy Christiansen, 29, 2019 N. Washington Ave., Springfield (Alexandrea McNeeley's boyfriend)
• William Reed, 25, Cumberland, Tenn.

On December sixth of last year, Theresa Rash (below) told cops that she found her husband, Stephen E. Rash, dead at his home at 711 W. Chicago. The man's throat had been slit.

Investigators believe that Rash was killed the day before Theresa Rash reported the slaying and believe that two of the suspects were offered $1,000 to murder Rash.

According to the probable cause statement, an informant told police that they were at an alleged meeting that took place at 2111 N. Summit about a week before Rash's death.

It was at that meeting where a plan to take Stephen Rash permanently "out of the picture," was discussed.
The informant told cops that Jeff Bloom, Theresa Rash's boyfriend, had a legal pad that had several peoples names and identifiers on it, and that Stephen Rash's was at the top of the list.

The reason.......Stephen Rash treating Theresa Rash "poorly."

While being questioned by cops on January 12th, Rusty Amoss (left) told Corporal Chris Barb that Bloom stated that he was, "going to give that job to Reed, but had changed his mind and wanted him (Amoss) to handle it."
Amoss told the group that, "he didn't want to get his hands dirty."

A few days after the meeting Amoss told cops that Bloom contacted him and said, "he and Theresa wanted Stephen Rash dead."

It is at that point that Amoss allegedly told Bloom that he wanted a thousand dollars and his rent paid to do the "job."

Amoss told Corporal Barb that Bloom called him continuously wanting to know when Stephen Rash would be killed.

Theresa Rash allegedly provided a key to the back door of Stephen Rash's residence, but it wouldn't work. When that wasn't successful they simply waited a few minutes, knocked on the front door, and were let in by Stephen Rash.

Amoss says he was allegedly accompanied by William Reed (left) and that once the men were inside Stephen Rash's house, "Reed grabbed Rash by the neck," and the two men struggled into the kitchen where he followed them.

Amos says that he believes that Reed was attempting to break Rash's neck. At some point during the struggle, Amoss says that, "Rash hit him in the head with a pipe."

Amoss told investigators that he also attempted to choke Rash but ended up slitting the man's throat twice.

Reed says that Amoss followed Rash into the kitchen where, "Rash hit him(Amoss) with a pipe as he entered the kitchen. He went on to tell investigators that "Amoss jumped on Rash's back and tried to choke him."

According to Reed, the elderly man fell to his knees and that Amoss, "pulled a knife from his boot and cut the man's neck."

Troy Christiansen (below) told investigators that Amoss contacted him, Theresa Rash, Alexandria McNeeley, and Jeff Bloom after Stephen Rash had been killed and, "demanded his payment of two thousand dollars and two hundred and fifty dollar rent payments by June."

While Amoss was being interrogated Monday he told investigators that he "had not been paid a cent" since the killing, nor had his rent been paid.

Alexandrea McNeeley (below) admitted to cops that she had been at the initial meeting with all of the suspects, and that she heard her mother, Theresa Rash, say that something "needed to be done with Stephen Rash."
She also stated that Amoss said that "Reed had been unable to harm Stephen Rash."

Further in the interview with cops, McNeeley stated that, "Amoss said that Rash had hit him in the head with a pipe and that he stabbed Stephen Rash and cut his neck."

Theresa Rash denied having any knowledge of a plot to kill her husband when questioned by authorities. Investigators quit questioning Rash when she requested an attorney.

Jeff Bloom, (below) Theresa Rash's boyfriend, "continually denied having any knowledge of a conversation in which he and/or Theresa asked Reed and Amoss to kill Stephen Rash," when police interviewed him.

All six of the suspects were formally arraigned and have pleaded not guilty. They all have preliminary hearings scheduled for March 6, 2009.

All of the suspects are being held without bond in the Greene County jail....away from each other because, “they’re busy pointing fingers at each other,” according to Greene County Prosecutor Darrell Moore.

UPDATE (03-07-09):
Six people charged with first-degree murder for the December 2008 death of an elderly Springfield man will stand trial for the mans death.

Theresa F. Rash, 49; Alexandrea M. McNeeley, 26; Rusty L. Amoss, 27; William L. Reed, 25; Jeff S. Bloom, 48; and Troy M. Christiansen, 29, are scheduled to be arraigned April 13 in Greene County Circuit Court.

The six are accused of conspiring to plan the death of 63-year-old Stephen E. Rash, Theresa Rash's husband, who was found dead in his Chicago street home on December 6, 2008, with his throat slashed.

Investigators say that it was Amoss who slit Stephen Rash's throat. He was bound over for trial on Tuesday (03-03-09) by Associate Circuit Judge Mark Powell.

Attorneys for McNeeley, who is Theresa Rash's daughter, and Christiansen waived their preliminary hearing Friday (03-06-09), after hearing testimony against the other three suspects from a Springfield detective, the Greene County Medical Examiner and the wife of one of the suspects.

Karen Gardner, married Bloom shortly before Rash's murder and said she was present at meeting in November with all of the suspects. She testified that it was at that meeting that Theresa Rash said she wanted out of her marriage because her husband was verbally abusing her.

Gardner said that Theresa Rash asked Bloom to help her find a way to get rid of him....and he said OK; and then asked Amoss and Reed to kill Rash.When questioned by detectives, both Amoss and Reed allegedly confessed to the crime.

Amoss and Reed gave investigators differing scenarios about how Stephen Rash was attacked....they did agree on one thing, it was Amoss who slit Rash's throat with a boot knife, according to Springfield Police Cpl. Chris Barb.Barb, who is the lead detective on the case, testified that Reed admitted that he was in Rash's house when the man was killed but that he did not participate in the his murder.

After Rash was killed, the duo allegedly went somewhere where Amoss could clean up, before meeting up with the other suspects at a bowling alley.

Gardner testified that when Amoss and Reed hooked up with the group later, they told them that Mr. Rash was dead.

Gardner said that she did not immediately go to cops with news of the alleged plot until January......after she caught her husband (Bloom) and Theresa Rash in bed together.

Gardner testified that Bloom kicked her out of the house the two shared on Summit Street shortly before Christmas.....and that she heard her husband tell Theresa Rash that he wanted to be with her; and allegedly threatening to "get rid of" Gardner, too, if she caused any trouble."

Public defender Clate Baker, who represents Theresa Rash, and Tom Carver, who represents Bloom, asked Gardner about her use of prescription pain pills and anti depressants.

Gardner acknowledged she does have trouble remembering things at times when she takes her medication.

A supporter of the suspects was removed from the courtroom after exclaiming "That's bull- ..." when Barb testified Reed told him Theresa Rash asked them to kill her husband.

UPDATE (04-15-09):

A Springfield woman charged with murdering her elderly stepfather is out of jail because of death threats within the Greene County jail.

Alexandrea McNeeley was released from jail and will have to wear an ankle bracelet and will be under house arrest.

Prosecutors say that McNeeley and five other people conspired to kill Stephen Rash last December.

I have a couple of questions, like, why couldn't they place her in a single cell or transfer her to another jail.

Look, I have the utmost respect for our law enforces, I know they are underpaid and the jail is understaffed and overloaded....but come on this isn't some petty crime!

So now an alleged killer is walking the streets of Springfield because her life is threatened......please!