UPDATED: Alleged Domestic Assault Leads Woman's Stabbing; Boyfriend Charged With First Degree Assault:

Jonathan Clark Collins (above)

A Springfield woman was transported to a local hospital this morning with life threatening stab wounds to her chest and stomach.

Cops say an altercation took place just before six this morning at the Rancho Court Motel/Apartments on E. Kearney Street in North Springfield.
Authorities say that a 43 year-old man called 911 to say his girlfriend, who is also 43, had been stabbed.

When cops entered an apartment they found Jonathan Clark Collins standing near his live in girlfriend, Sheila Bailie, who was on the floor and appeared to have serious injuries. The female yelled to officers she needed help.

Clark, who was treated at a hospital for minor injuries, has been charged with first-degree domestic assault with injury. He is being held in the Greene County jail on $250,000 bond.

Full press release from Springfield Police Department:

For Immediate Release:
Springfield Police Investigate Serious Assault at 1544 E. Kearney

Springfield Police were summoned to 1544 E. Kearney #2, Rancho Court at 5:46 A.M. (9-30-09) in reference to a man stabbing a female with a knife. Officers arrived and entered apartment #2 and found a male standing near a female on the floor who appeared to have serious injuries. The female yelled to officers she needed help. The suspect was taken into custody and the female victim, Sheila Bailie was treated by EMS and transported to a local hospital where she was admitted in serious condition with multiple stab wounds.

The investigation indicated both the suspect and victim have been living together at apartment #2 and became involved in a domestic dispute when the assault occurred.

The Greene County prosecuting attorney's office filed charges against Jonathan Collins, 43, for first-degree assault and armed criminal action. A judge set Collins' bond at $250,000.

UPDATED: Toddlers Death Ruled Homicide:

Last month's death of a 14-month old little girl in Springfield has been ruled a homicide according to Assistant Greene County Medical Examiner Tom Van De Berg.

VanDeBerg says Summer Lee Dunham (a.) died of a subdural hematoma ....or blunt force trauma to the head on August 11th, and that the manner of death is homicide. Little Summer suffered a two-inch skull fracture to the back of the head according to Van De Berg.

According to a news report by KY3's Sara Foretz, the little girls mom and her boyfriend told investigators that the toddler hit her head on a concrete step in front of a relatives house two days before her death.

Investigators say the toddler was found unresponsive in her crib at a home on North Fort and that the immediately thought that the circumstances surrounding her death, "were suspicious."

Police say two adults living in the house, the little girls mom A. D., and her boyfriend M. W., told cops they found the baby unresponsive just before 9:00 that morning. Both adults, who are currently on probation on charges not related to this case, were the only adults in the house along with Summers three year-old sister .

Summer was taken from her mother shortly after birth and placed in protective custody after the baby tested positive for marijuana. The little girls mother told authorities that she had smoked pot in the latter months of her pregnancy and that she had used meth in the first trimester while pregnant with Summer.

Summers mother pleaded guilty to charges of endangering the welfare of a child for using drugs while she was pregnant with Summers older sister A.D.

Both girls were placed in foster care for several month while their mother underwent drug treatment. She did have supervised visits with the children who were placed back in her care this past New Years Eve.

The Springfield News-Leader says that property seized during a search of the little girl's home shows police infant-care items, "a personal letter," a bank statement, hair samples from a wooden shelf and a baby bottle.

Summers older sister A.D. has been placed in protective custody.

The investigation into little Summers death is ongoing and no arrests related to her death have been made at this time.

Former East Newton Girls Basketball Coach Statutory Rape Trial Ends In Mistrial For A Second Time:

A former girls basketball coach for East Newton High School will not stand trial in Jasper County for three counts of statutory rape.

For the second time in six weeks a judge has declared a mistrial in the case against 31 year-old Joshua Long.

Defense attorney Dee Wampler says, "too many jurors who were called for jury duty were familiar with the case in order for my client to get a fair trial." Apparently Jasper County Circuit Court Judge David Dally agrees. He has now ruled that the case will be heard in another county.

Prosecutors allege that Long, who was going into his first year of teaching for the district, had sex with a 16 year-old girl from Webb City twice in May and once in June of 2008 at his home in Orongo.

According to the probable cause statement, the girl told cops that she and Long had been sexting each other before she got to his house, where they had sex on an island in the mans kitchen.

The statement goes on to say that Long and the teenager sent nude pictures to each other via their cell phones.

Defense attorney Dee Wampler said today that his client, "is a professional basketball coach who traveled with the teams. It just didn't happen, he said."

Long had previously been employed as a coach for the McDonald County and Carl Junction school districts.

Church Arsonist Sentenced To Ten Years In Prison:

A young man who pleaded guilty in July to torching a 105 year-old Lamar Church was sentenced today to ten years in prison on several different charges related to the fire.

Twenty year-old John Manco (b.), who lived two doors down from St. Marys Catholic Church, poured an accelerant on the altar and set the church on fire after stealing $200.00 from the historic church on February 8th.

Manco, was also sentenced to five years in prison today for an unrelated drug charge.

Two people who represented the church asked the judge to give Manco the minimum sentence in the case which was ten years.

Barton County Prosecutor Steve Kaderly says, "I'm not disappointed. We had a good plea agreement."

Grand Jury Indicts Former Columbia Funeral Director For Unlawful Practices:

Harold Warren Sr. (above)

A Boone County grand jury handed up a three count indictment yesterday (09-25-09) against a former Missouri funeral home director accused of keeping rotting bodies in the basement of the family funeral home.

Harold Warren Sr., 77, is accused of three felony counts of unlawful merchandising practices. The indictments allege that Warren Sr. knowingly gave families cremated remains that were not the ashes of their family members.

Prosecutors allege the crimes occurred between February and July 2008.Warren’s attorney, Dan Viets, told the Columbia Daily Tribune that his client will respond to the charges in court on Octobober 5th.

The 77-year-old Warren and his son, Harold Warren Jr., operated Warren Funeral Chapel Inc., which operated funeral homes in Fulton and Columbia.

Authorities ordered the business to close in July 2008 after a woman’s body was found stored in an electrical room for 10 months without being embalmed or refrigerated.

During the investigation, several more decaying bodies were found in the funeral homes. In July of this year, the Missouri Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors revoked the father and son's licenses to practice as funeral directors and embalmers.

Since then, Warren Sr. has worked for Reid Millard, who purchased the Warren's funeral homes and hired him as a funeral assistant. The elder Warren has been seen assisting in a funeral service at at least one Columbia funeral and consoling the family of the deceased.

In one of the mishandled cases Vanae Scott, the mother of Tasha Loggins who died in May of 2008 was given an urn said to hold her daughters ashes. Scott said she paid the Warrens in full and kept the ashes until her daughter’s decaying body was among several found unrefrigerated in the basement of the Warren chapel.

In another case, Warren gave cremated remains to the family of Dorenda Versey, who died at the age 86 in 2007. Nearly a year after her death, investigators found her body in the Warren chapel basement, embalmed but not cremated.

According to the Columbia Daily Tribune, sources say Warren admitted he lied about cremating the elderly woman's body but refused to release the her cremains because the Versey family owed him money.

Former Nixa Firefighter Facing Additional Kiddie Porn Charges:

A former Nixa firefighter who was facing child molestation charges is now facing additional charges related to crimes against children.

Christian County Prosecutor Ron Cleek filed charges against Michael "Keith" Benson (a.) today (09-25-09) for statutory sodomy and exploitation of a minor after authorities found evidence of child pornography on his computer.

In July, Benson was charged with child molestation after an eight year-old girl told her mother that Benson molested her at a birthday party in February 20, 2008. The latest charges stem from an incident on the same date.

Cops searched Benson’s car and found a camera with 30 photographs. The mother of another eight-year-old girl says she could identify her child in the photographs. Investigators say the photographs were graphic and evidence of molestation.

The little girl also told her mom that she saw child porn on Benson's computer. Several other kids have come forward and made similar allegations against Benson.

After being told that he was being investigated for kiddie porn, Benson surrendered his computer to his lawyer, Dee Wampler.

Benson is on parole for distribution/manufacturing of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a child.

Bensons next court appearance is scheduled for October 20th in Christian County.

Stone County Authorities Investigating Teen Death; Two People Charged With Drug Crimes:

An 18 year-old man was found dead at his aunt and uncles house last night and Stone County Deputies have launched an investigation into his death.

Roger Beck Jr. (above)

Deputies responded to Roger and Sherl Becks house at 3907 Joe Bald Road about 7 p.m. and found Timothy Beck unresponsive. Attempted CPR was unsuccessful and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sherl Beck (above)

While deputies assisted Stone County coroner Rick Stumpf, they noticed a hemostat holding what appeared to be the remnant of a joint in a nearby ashtray.

Authorities then asked the elder Becks for permission to search the house and the couple consented.

When cops asked the Becks if there was any marijuana or paraphernalia located within the home, Roger Beck motioned to a closet nearby and provided a container with approximately 30 grams of marijuana along with marijuana smoking devices. Also discovered in the search was additional pot totaling over 80 grams, and generic Xanax.

Thirty three year-old Roger, and forty year-old Sherl Beck have both been charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance.

They are being held in the Stone County jail on $25,000 cash only bond.

An autopsy is scheduled to be conducted on the young man later today.


FULL PRESS RELEASE:

STONE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE
PRESS RELEASE


Last evening September 24, 2009 at approximately 7:00pm, Stone County Deputies responded to a residence located at 3907 Joe Bald Road in reference to a medical assist involving a non responsive 18 year old male. On arrival with first responders, Stone County Deputies assisted in the administration of CPR. The 18 year old male was later pronounced deceased on scene.

While Deputies assisted the Stone County Coroner, they noticed a hemostat holding what appeared to be the remnant of a marijuana cigarette in a nearby ashtray at the residence.

Stone County Deputies were able to obtain permission to search the home from the residents.

The residents were asked where any marijuana or paraphernalia was located within the home. The male suspect indicated a closet nearby and provided a container with approximately 30 grams of marijuana along with marijuana smoking devices.

Upon further search, additional marijuana totaling over 80 grams, and a quantity of generic Xanax pills were also located.

The male suspect, age 33 of the residence and the female suspect, age 40 also of the residence were taken into custody without incident and placed on a twenty four hour investigative hold pending review of the case by the Stone County Prosecutors Office.

The 18 year old deceased male has been taken to a hospital where later today an autopsy will be performed. Additional information will be provided as available.

Richard L. Hill
Sheriff

UPDATE: Taney County Prosecutor Seeking Help In Kanakuk Kamp Scandal:

Taney County prosecutor Jeff Merrell is asking that kids who may have knowledge of alleged abuses by a former Branson camp director accused of molesting young male campers contact his office.

Merrell says that anyone with information of potential illicit activity by Peter D. Newman should contact his office. Newman, 33, was charged last week with second-degree statutory sodomy, enticement of a child and two counts of sexual misconduct involving a child. Merrell says, " some calls have come into the office," though he declined to say how many. “We've fielded a few,” he said. “With each contact it's basically a new investigation.”

In the probable cause statement, Newman, who was a popular counselor is accused of gaining the trust of teenage male campers through his role at the church based Branson Kanakuk Kamps.

Court documents allege that he groomed the boys in private Bible studies in his hot tub, convincing several victims to masturbate in the tub and with him.

Documents also refer to Newman swimming nude and playing basketball nude with campers, and indicate that deputies have spoken with at least 16 victims.

Newman, who now lives in Memphis, turned himself in to authorities on September 15th and waived formal arraignment. He was released from custody after posting $50,000 bond. As part of his bond he can have no contact with children under the age of 17.

Anyone with additional information about any alleged sexual abuse is urged to call the Taney County Prosecutor’s Office at (417)546-7260 or visit the the prosecutors website at http://taneycountyprosecutor.com/

Mother Of Twelve Year-Old And Her Boyfriend Plead Guilty To Prostituting Her Daughter:

A Kansas City area woman and her boyfriend who pleaded guilty to sex trafficking the woman's 12 year-old daughter as a sexual dominatrix are headed to the big house.

Thirty-seven-year-old Todd Barkau and the girl’s 45-year-old mother pleaded guilty today (09-24-09) to sex trafficking of a child. The little girls mother was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison and Barkau will serve 25 years under the plea deal.

Prosecutors say that the two lived together when Barkau began having sex with the girl in 2000 when she was 12, showing her how to perform sex acts with men including bondage and sadomasochism and prostitution.

The girl was prostituted via the Internet from January 2002 to February 2005.

The name of the now 21 year-old girls mother hasn't been revealed in order to protect her daughter’s identity.

Fringe Extremist Facing New Federal Charges:

Robert Joos mug shot

A McDonald County man who federal investigators say has ties to brothers who are white supremacists charged for a bombing in Arizona is facing new federal weapons charges.

Robert Joos, 56, of Powell, Mo., made his first appearance in federal court on Tuesday on the indictment and pleaded not guilty.

The indictment, which was unsealed on Sept. 9, is for two counts of unlawful transport of firearms and one count of transporting explosive materials interstate.

Law officers arrested Joos at his compound in June as part of an investigation into a bomb sent by mail in 2004 in Scottsdale, Ariz., that was racially motivated.

Undercover operatives met for survival training with white supremacists at Joos' property in McDonald County.

Prosecutors also say the first call that one of the twin bombing suspects, Dennis and Daniel Mahon, made after the bombing was to Joos.

Joos, was convicted in 1997 for unlawful use of a weapon, therefore he cannot legally possess any firearms.

In 2004, another jury convicted him of a felony for operating a motor vehicle without a valid license (his stance was it was because of his religion.) He was sentenced to two-years in prison and then placed on parole which ended on January of this year.

While in the county lock-up awaiting trials, Joos unsuccessfully sued the sheriffs department of McDonald County three times this decade over his mistreatment, and to challenge his incarceration.

According to an investigator’s affidavit filed this summer when Joos was originally indicted, undercover agents and a confidential informant say they found weapons and ammunition on his 200-acre property.

The informant says in an affidavit that Joos taught him “how to make napalm and agreed to train other people.” The affidavit goes on to say that Joos provided undercover ATF agents with instructions, including what soap to use, to make a homemade napalm and to train other people.

The informant also said Joos talked about using caves on his property to hide from law officers “and often discussed stocking the caves with weapons, food, water and other supplies . . . to be able to avoid capture or attack by the government or other adversaries.”

In 1994 authorities in McDonald County raided the self-proclaimed preachers compound, The Sacerdotal Order of the David Company, and were stunned at what they found. Stockpiled inside the compound were weapons, ammunition and dynamite. Joos, claimed the weapons were meant for trading. Joos was release from prison in 1997.

At the hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors argued for Joos to be held without bond. U.S. Magistrate James England granted that order, and also ordered the case to proceed to trial.



***Joos compound raid image courtesy of Lucky Dog Blog

UPDATED : Former Kamp Kanakuk Camp Director Charged With Sex Offenses Involving Kids

Pete Newman Mug Shot (above)

A former assistant camp director at church based Kanakuk Kamps in Branson has been charged with several sex offenses involving children.

Taney County prosecutor Jeff Merrell says that the investigation of 33 year-old Pete Newman began six months ago when someone made a hot line call about Newman and his alleged sexual involvement with underage kids.

The Turner Report broke the story yesterday that Newman is facing one count of statutory sodomy, two counts of sexual misconduct involving a child under 15 by indecent exposure, and one count of felony enticement of a child.

Pete Newman in Kanukuk Kamp brochure

According to the prosecutor, the investigation involves 1 or more campers of the Christian based youth camp. In a warrant application written by the Taney County Sheriff’s Office, victims are assigned numbers 1 - 16. However, Merrell says that investigators are still conducting interviews with Kampers, and that there could be additional victims.

According to the probable cause statement, Newman, who had a house nearby the camp, used his hot tub to prey on teen aged boys.

"Between 2005 and 2008, Pete Newman became a close friend of his by attending family dinners, sleepovers, bible studies, taking vacations together and writing letters. Pete would hold one-on-one sessions with (the boy) in Pete's hot tub (at Pete's residence) and would request they be naked. Pete would discuss life's struggles with (him) and talk about masturbation. Pete would explain that if (the boy) would masturbate with him in his hot tub then there would be no lust and therefore (the boy) would not be sinning."

Another one of Newman's victims told Detective Ronnie Roberts that Newman began masturbation sessions with him when he was 13 and that eventually led to oral sex when he was 15. The probable cause statement alleges that Newman also played nude basketball with campers.

When cops started contacting parents of Kampers a disturbing trend emerged. Newman, would befriend boys between the ages of 11 and 15, and gain the trust of their parents and begin "the grooming process" of the kids.

Merrell says the alleged incidents took place between 2004 - 2008.

On June 8, 2009, Newman allegedly wrote a letter to the owner of Kanakuk
Kamp, Joe White, confessing his actions. He was fired.

Newman, who now lives in Memphis, is expected to turn himself into authorities sometime today or tomorrow.

UPDATE: 09-15-09:

Newman turned himself in to authorities this afternoon and waived formal arraignment. He was released from custody after posting $50,000 bond.

Email sent out by Kamp Kanakuk:

For the last 34 years, Debbie Jo and I have poured our hearts and prayers into this beloved place. Therefore it is with a heavy heart that I am writing to you today regarding a difficult situation.

Because you are an important part of the Kanakuk family, we wanted to make you aware that earlier today, the Taney County Missouri prosecutor filed a four-count criminal complaint against our former employee, Pete Newman. As you may know, Pete Newman was employed at K-Kountry. The prosecutor’s criminal charges allege that Pete engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior with adolescent boys, including some who had been Kanakuk Kampers.

When we became aware of this situation we took immediate action, terminating Pete Newman’s employment. Since that time, we have been working closely with the affected families and appropriate authorities. We reported what we knew to investigators and stayed in contact throughout the process, providing whatever assistance we could. We have also offered our assistance to the impacted families.

Our fervent prayers are with those who have been impacted. We look forward to the completion of the legal process to ensure that justice is served.

As you know, Pete Newman's alleged behavior is counter to everything we believe in, everything we stand for and everything we work to instill in the young people who come to us seeking to grow personally and in their relationship with Christ. In fact, for years, we have had very clear policies and extensive training in place for all staff regarding appropriate behavior. Our staff members go through background checks, personal interviews and extensive training on our policies.

We understand the difficulty that this situation causes you and your children. We pledge to work with you to help you address questions your children may have. Kanakuk is a family, and families often face challenging times. We also pledge that Kanakuk will continue to do all we can to champion efforts to prevent inappropriate behavior from occurring at any camp.

If you have questions or concerns about this situation, please e-mail me at joe@kanakuk.com.

Thank you for being part of the Kanakuk family.

In Christ,

Joe White

UPDATE 09-25-09:

UPDATE: Taney County Prosecutor Seeking Help In Kanakuk Kamp Scandal:

Taney County prosecutor Jeff Merrell is asking that kids who may have knowledge of alleged abuses by a former Branson camp director accused of molesting young male campers contact his office.

Merrell says that anyone with information of potential illicit activity by Peter D. Newman should contact his office. Newman, 33, was charged last week with second-degree statutory sodomy, enticement of a child and two counts of sexual misconduct involving a child. Merrell said, " some calls have come into the office," though he declined to say how many.

“We've fielded a few,” he said. “With each contact it's basically a new investigation.”In the probable cause statement, Newman, who was a popular counselor is accused of gaining the trust of teenage male campers through his role at the church based Branson Kanakuk Kamps.

Court documents allege that he groomed the boys in private Bible studies in his hot tub, convincing several victims to masturbate in the tub and with him.

Documents also refer to Newman swimming nude and playing basketball nude with campers, and indicate that deputies have spoken with at least 16 victims.

Newman, who now lives in Memphis, turned himself in to authorities on September 15th and waived formal arraignment. He was released from custody after posting $50,000 bond. As part of his bond he can have no contact with children under the age of 17.

Anyone with additional information about any alleged sexual abuse committed by Newman is urged to call the Taney County Prosecutor’s office at (417)546-7260 or visit the the prosecutors website at http://taneycountyprosecutor.com/


https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/searchCases.do
09AF-CR02097 - ST V PETER D NEWMAN

The Crime Scene Included In Top 50 Forensic Science Blogs:

I had to face it today, I have an addiction to the Internet.

After a frustrating day of not being able to get on the net because a fiber-optic line was cut by a construction crew, I thought that I was literally going to break out in hives if it wasn't fixed by nightfall.

Ahhhhh, the sweet merciful goddess of the Internet waved her magic wand at 4:27 and I was online!

I hurriedly typed in my email addy and amidst all the spam was this wonderful little nugget:

Hi Kathee

I’m just writing to let you know about a feature story we recently published on The Forensic Files titled, “Top 50 Forensic Science Blogs”. I thought you and your readers at The Crime Scene might be interested in having a look.

Let me know if you have any feedback, or feel free to leave a comment directly on the blog --

http://www.bestforensicscienceschools.com/2009/top-50-forensic-science-blogs/

Thanks,
Jimmy Atkinson
The Forensic Files

WOW, I guess somebody does read my blog!

I have been frustrated with my blog lately thinking that I am the only one who reads it or really cares that it exists.

So, I want to say thank you to Mr. Atkinson for the honor, and to everyone else who takes the time to read The Crime Scene.

k

Lawrence County Man Pleads Guilty To Killing His Ex-Wife:

A man from Republic has pleaded guilty to stabbing his ex-wife to death on her front lawn.

Sixty one year-old Robert Duda was facing charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and first-degree robbery for the March 12th, 2009, death of 59 year-old Kathy Duda. In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors amended the charge to second-degree murder today (09-14-09.)

Authorities say that Robert Duda broke into his ex-wife's Marionville house and chased her through the house and outside onto the front yard. A neighbor of Kathy Dudas called cops when they witnessed Robert Duda chase his ex-wife around the front lawn with a knife and repeatedly stab her.

Witnesses say that as Kathy Duda lay dying Robert Duda turned the knife on himself, slashing his writs and stabbing himself on the lawn before he ran back into the century year-old house.

When cops got in the house they found the man lying on the kitchen floor with serious injuries from his self-inflicted knife wounds. Duda remained hospitalized for several weeks.

Friends of the couple say that they divorced in March of 2008 after 40 years of marriage.

According to court records Robert Duda at one time pleaded, “not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.”

Duda was sentenced to 22 years in prison for second-degree murder and 15 years in prison for armed criminal action. The first-degree burglary was dropped as part of the plea agreement with prosecutors.

Those sentences are to run concurrently (at the same time.)


****On Memorial Day Kathy Duda's house went up for auction but failed to bring in the required minimum of $100,000 in order for it to sell.

Two People Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter In Elderly Man's 2007 Death:

Two people from Nixa have been charged with involuntary manslaughter for not summoning help for a diabetic man who was in their care.

Christian County prosecutor Ron Cleek says that on May 26, 2007, Donna K. Watts, 67, and James Harvill, 75, failed to call 911 as Edgar Gilmore went into diabetic shock and then fell into diabetic coma.

According to the probable cause statement, Watts says she knew that Gilmore, 85, was a diabetic who had been released from the VA hospital the previous day.

Watts told Deputy D. J. Outhouse that when she tried to wake Gilmore up about 8:30 the next morning he was unresponsive. “Donna stated that she couldn’t wake Edgar that morning and that she believed that something was wrong with him,” according to the statement.

Watts then allegedly called Harvill to come sit with Gilmore while she went to an estate sale, the statement said. Harvill told investigators that when Watts left the house at 9:30 he knew that Gilmore was sick and didn't get the man any help.

Harvill told Outhouse that he checked on Gilmore several times during the day and found him, "groaning, grunting and rolling his head but otherwise unresponsive."

The probable cause statement goes on to say that Harvill said, "he had told a neighbor he was going to have Donna call 911 when she got home but that he never called himself."

When Watts returned home from the estate sale about 2:30 that afternoon she called 911. Gilmore lingered in diabetic coma for about a month before he died.

In a letter to police, Gilmore's physician, Dr. El Fatmi said, "an earlier intervention might have helped save this patient."

Donna Watts is also charged with felony stealing in connection with this case. It is alleged that she stole $1,000 from a lock box in Gilmore's room sometime between May 26 and June 29, 2007 and hid it in her safety deposit box.

It was until Mr. Gilmore's possessions were inventoried that the money was discovered missing. When asked if she planned to keep the money Donna replied, "it was my plan, but then we gave it back."

Change Of Venue Granted To Billy Wayne Hall:

Billy Wayne Hall

A change of venue has been granted for a Sparta man accused of murder.

Billy Wayne Halls second-degree murder and kidnapping trial will now be heard in Cass County. The court also granted a motion for a change of judge; Wright County judge John Moody will now hear the case.

Prosecutors allege that Billy Wayne Hall helped kill sixty eight year-old Freda Heyn, Oldfield, (a.) in 2003 because he was afraid that Heyn was going to turn he and his former sister-in-law, Paula Hall, in for cooking meth.

Heyn was last seen alive at the post office in Oldfield on November 3, 2003. Hikers found Mrs. Heyns skull in the spring of 2004 in the Mark Twain National Forest.

Billy Hall was originally charged with second-degree murder in 2006, however, those charges were dropped because of evidentiary matters.

Christian County Prosecutor Ron Cleek re-filed murder charges and added the kidnapping charge last February after evidence was presented at Paula Halls murder trial that implicated Billy Hall in Heyns death.

Billy Halls attorney, Rita Sanders says, "I'm thankful that it was granted as far out of the area and the influence of the Heyn family as possible so my client can get a fair trial."

Sanders, says her client has requested a jury trial saying, "I prefer to take my chances with a jury rather than a judge. In a bench trial only one person is weighing the evidence....in a jury trial I just have to convince one person that my client is innocent."

Paula Hall (a.) was convicted of second-degree murder for her part in Heyns death and was sentenced to twenty years in prison last May.

UPDATED: Mother And Father-In-Law Arrested For Noel Shooting Death:

The mother and father-in-law of a man gunned down on a street in Noel Monday night have been arrested in connection to the crime.

Noel Marshal Jacob Boles says that when chief deputy Mike Miller arrived at the scene of the shooting on Alexander Street he found 32 year-old Marty E. Reece dead.

Boles says that Reece was shot more than one time and that a handgun believed to be used in the shooting was taken into evidence at the scene.

Reece's wife, Jindy Patterson-Reece, 21, and her father, James Patterson, 47, and Kimberly Patterson, 45, both of Noel, were at the scene when cops got there. The Pattersons allegedly told investigators that Reece was killed while they were defending themselves.

Online court records show that Jindy Patterson had an active order of protection against Marty Reece at the time of his death. Boles says that Marty and Jindy Reece were in the process of divorcing and are the parents of a young child.

According to Boles, the Pattersons were arrested last night (09-09-09) after he, Miller, and a couple of investigators from the McDonald County sheriff's department, met with McDonald County prosecutor Janice Durbin yesterday.

The Pattersons, who have not been charged with second-degree murder, were arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and booked into the McDonald County jail.

They both bonded out today (09-10-09) on a $25,000 probable cause bond each.


https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/searchCases.do
08MC-CV01173 - PROTECTION ORDER

Change Of Judge Granted In Nevada Teen's Murder Case; No Decision On Change Of Venue:

Lawyers for a Nevada teenager accused of killing two of his friends and classmates have won a motion for a change of judge for their client.

Attorneys also filed a motion for a change of venue for the trial of Garrett Matthew Mason. The Vernon County circuit clerks office says that it could take the supreme court about a week to make a ruling on that motion.

Kylie Leyva (above l.) Annie Reed (r.)

Mason, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and armed criminal action for the May 2009 stabbing deaths of 18 year-old Annie Reed and 14 year-old Kylie Leyva. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Man Shot To Death On Street In Noel.....Was It Murder, Or Self Defense?

The McDonald County sheriff's department is investigating the shooting death of a man who was gunned down last night on a street in Noel.

Sheriff Robert Evenson says that 32 year-old Marty E. Reece was allegedly shot multiple times by a relative on Alexander Drive, but won't say why.

Now investigators are trying to determine if it was murder, or self defense.

Evenson says that when cops got to the crime scene about 9:30 p.m., the shooter was there waiting for them and that the alleged gun used in the shooting was seized. Evenson says the shooter is not in police custody at this time, and cops aren't looking for any other suspects.

Evenson says that Reece lived just not far from where the shooting took place. He says when officers arrived on scene, Reece's wife and her her parents were there.

He said an autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow (09-09-09) in Springfield.


UPDATE: Thursday, September 10, 2009

UPDATED: Mother And Father-In-Law Arrested For Noel Shooting Death:

The mother and father-in-law of a man gunned down on a street in Noel Monday night have been arrested in connection to the crime.

Noel Marshal Jacob Boles says that when chief deputy Mike Miller arrived at the scene of the shooting on Alexander Street he found 32 year-old Marty E. Reece dead.

Boles says that Reece was shot more than one time and that a handgun believed to be used in the shooting was taken into evidence at the scene.

Reece's wife, Jindy Patterson-Reece, 21, and her father, James Patterson, 47, and Kimberly Patterson, 45, both of Noel, were at the scene when cops got there. The Pattersons allegedly told investigators that Reece was killed while they were defending themselves.

Online court records show that Jindy Patterson had an active order of protection against Marty Reece at the time of his death. Boles says that Marty and Jindy Reece were in the process of divorcing and are the parents of a young child.

According to Boles, the Pattersons were arrested last night (09-09-09) after he, Miller, and a couple of investigators from the McDonald County sheriff's department, met with McDonald County prosecutor Janice Durbin yesterday.

The Pattersons, who have not been charged with second-degree murder, were arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and booked into theMcDonald County jail.

They both bonded out today (09-10-09) on a $25,000 probable cause bond each.

https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/searchCases.do
08MC-CV01173 - PROTECTION ORDER

Ava Man Sentenced To 25 Years For Murdering Ex-Wifes Boyfriend:

A Douglas County man has been sentenced to twenty five years in prison for killing his ex-wife's boyfriend.

James Hitchcock (a.) had been charged with first-degree murder for the August 2008 shotgun slaying of Wendell Hillhouse, but a Douglas County jury found the 42 year-old Ava man guilty of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in June.

Hillhouse was helping his girlfriends ex husband, Hitchcock, move some cars when Hitchcock pretended to have car trouble and ambushed Hillhouse. Hitchcock then dragged Hillhouse into the woods near Assumption Abbey and bludgeoned him with a baseball bat.

Hitchcock also received a ten year sentence on the armed criminal action charge. Both sentences will run concurrently (at the same time.)

Preliminary Hearing Date Set For Alleged Cole Camp Murderer:

A preliminary hearing date has been set for a man accused of gunning down his relatives this summer in Cole Camp.

Robert Blurton (a.) appeared in court today and a judge set November 30th as the date for that hearing.

Donnie, Sharon and Taron Luetjen were found bound together and shot in June of this year. Authorities allege that Blurton killed his family members during a robbery at their home.

Benton County prosecutor Karen Woodley has not publicly disclosed whether or not she plans to seek the death penalty in the case. However, at today's hearing Blurton with capital crimes division attorney Charles Mooreland and has met with other attorneys who handle capital murder cases for the public defenders office.

Blurton, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, is being held in Saline County on three million dollars bond.

The Luetjen Family will be honored at a benefit concert from 2 to 5 p.m. on September 20th at Water Tower Park in Cole Camp.

All proceeds raised at the event will help establish The Luetjen Family Music Scholarship.

UPDATED: Authorities Say Walter Ellis Is Milwaukee's North Side Strangler Serial Killer?:

Walter E. Ellis, Milwaukee's Suspected North Side Strangler Serial Killer

UPDATE AT BOTTOM:

Milwaukee Murder Victims ( l to r.) Tanya L. Miller, 19, found on Oct. 11, 1986; Deborah L. Harris, 31, found on Oct. 10, 1986; Sheila Farrior, 37, found on June 27, 1995; Joyce Ann Mims, found on June 20, 1997; Ouithreaun C. Stokes, found on April 27, 2007.

Over the last twenty some odd years a man has been targeting prostitutes in Wisconsin.

I hadn't realized that until I started looking into missing and murdered women in Wisconsin for any connection to alleged serial killer Christopher Revak.

Back in July, Douglas County Sheriff Chris Degase said that Revak, who was charged with second-degree murder in the 2006 disappearance of Rene Marie Williams, was a serial killer.

After being charged with Williams murder, Revak hanged himself in the Douglas County jail. Degase said at a news conference that authorities believed that Revak was, "responsible for the murders of at least four other women in two states to the north of Missouri that are similar to Williams case."

I started delving into Revak's past and discovered that he grew up in Wisconsin and still has family that lives there. In looking at possible crimes that were similar to the Williams abduction I came across the cases of Kelly Nolan, Brittany Zimmerman and Amber Creek that seem to have the same m.o.

While researching the Wisconsin cases I also came across a long list of African American women who had been killed while working as prostitutes on the north side of Milwaukee.

Some of the hookers deaths dated back to the mid-80's. That would have made Revak 14 at the time of the first North Side Stranglers victim. Too young for a Revak connection.

Six of the victims of the North Side Strangler were African American, another was 16 year-old Jessica Payne, a white girl who was a runaway. Authorities believe that someone else may have killed Payne because she was stabbed--and white. Or was the killer trying to throw investigators off by changing up his method of operation?

One of the North Side Stranglers victims being removed from crime scene

But there was something that wouldn't throw investigators off for long. In May, cops said all of the victims were connected by DNA to one man....and cops were tightening the noose on a suspect.

At that same news conference, cops said that it was a serial killer who was responsible for murdering prostitutes in Milwaukee over two decades and dumping his victims bodies in vacant houses in a three-square mile radius over the past two decades.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that on Saturday authorities arrested Walter E. Ellis, 49, of Milwaukee, at a Franklin motel.

Authorities are alleging that it is Ellis's DNA that links him to the deaths of the six hookers and the teenager that were killed between 1986 and 2007.

Online court records show Ellis has been busted at least twelve times for crimes against people as well as property crimes and that he once lived near the area where many of the homicides occurred.

It appears that every time that Ellis was incarcerated the strangulation killings on the north side subsided. Between 1987 and 1994 there were no homicides that fit the North Side Stranglers m.o.

In 1998 Ellis was sentenced to five years in prison for recklessly endangering safety, according to online court records. Again, the killings matching the North Side Stranglers m.o. drop off of while he is incarcerated.
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Ellis was released from the federal pen in 2004. The key here is when he was taken into federal custody. In the seven killings that Ellis has been implicated in, none of the killings took place between 1998 and 2006.
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The State Crime Laboratory is in the process of checking to see if Ellis's DNA can be linked to the deaths of over 20 other prostitutes in addition to the seven that he has been identified as the chief suspect in.
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However, two men were charged in slayings later linked to Ellis, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
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Curtis McCoy was charged in October 1994 with killing Kilpatrick, but he was later acquitted by a jury.
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Another man, Chaunte Ott, 35, was released from prison last January after serving 12 years of a life in prison sentence for the murder, Jessica Payne. Ott, was released after lab evidence linked DNA evidence found on Payne's body (the teenager) to two other murder victims with that he had no connection to.
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UPDATE 09-07-09 6:42 p.m.:

Cops now say that Ellis is linked to the murders of nine women.
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Authorities developed Ellis as a person of interest last week, and on August 29th armed with a search warrant, cops took Ellis's razor, toothbrush and comb to develop a DNA profile for Ellis.
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Once the State Crime Laboratory had a DNA profile for Ellis the began testing it on the unsolved murders of two dozen other hookers to see if there was a match to Ellis.
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It was....the other victims allegedly linked to Ellis are---Irene Smith, 25, who was killed in 1992, and Carron D. Kilpatrick, 32, who was killed in 1994. Both women were strangled.
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Ellis was charged today with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the deaths of Joyce Mims, 41, in 1997 and Ouithreaun Stokes, 28, in 2007. The last known killing linked to the North Side Strangler was Stokes in 2007.
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Other victims linked to Ellis are Shelia Farrior
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Over the last twenty years that the North Side
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Cops say Ellis had been hiding out at a motel in Franklin after the warrant was served on his apartment in the 2800 block of W. Bobolink Ave. They would not say that if a person found with Ellis at the time of his arrest was a woman. However, a person who lives above the duplex where Ellis lived said that a woman lived there as well.
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Prosecutor John Chisholm said that he anticipates the filing of that additional homicide charges against Ellis in the other slayings.
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A family member of one of the victims, Joyce Mims, says that Ellis is a nephew of one of the her boyfriends.
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Authorities say the law for obtaining DNA samples from all felons went in to effect in 2000. Ellis was in lock-up in 2000 and released in 2001....they're not sure why his DNA was not in it's database.


According to authorities, Ellis killing spree continued because he was able to persuade a fellow inmate already convicted of a sex crime to submit a DNA sample in his name. The disparity was spotted by the State Crime Laboratory, but no one bothered to call the prison, thereby leaving a true sample of Ellis' DNA out of the state data bank.
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Attorney General JB Van Hollen says that authorities will continue testing any usable DNA from unsolved homicides to Ellis.

Map of North Side Strangler Cases-- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

http://media.journalinteractive.com/images/SERIAL20G-2.jpg

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UPDATE 02-11:

Walter Ellis pleaded no contest to seven counts of murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. 
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UPDATE 11-29-11:

Ellis was transferred to a prison in South Dakota in June -  a Wisonsin prison official says inmates are sometimes sent to other states for security reasons, and that Wisconsin accepts them from other states as well, through interstate compacts.

UPDATED: DWI Suspect Killed By Joplin Police Officer:

Joplin police Cpl. Brian Henderson

The Highway Patrol has been called in to take over the investigation of an officer involved shooting in Joplin that resulted in the death of a suspect.

Lt. Brian Lewis says that Cpl. Brian Henderson attempted to stop 34 year-old David C. Bogard at a DWI saturation point for suspicion of DWI, but the man fled on foot.

David C. Bogard (above)

After a brief foot chase Bogard allegedly assaulted and maced the police officer who shot Bogard to defend himself.

An autopsy on Bogard is scheduled for tomorrow in Springfield.

Henderson, a twelve year veteran of the department, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

UPDATE 09-08-09 5:15 p.m.:

Preliminary autopsy results show that Bogard died from as a results from gunshot wounds. Cpl. Henderson fired his weapon three times. Two of those rounds struck Bogard. The location of the gunshot wounds is not being released at this time.

It could take toxicology reports up to six weeks to come back from the crime lab.

UPDATE 09-09-09 5:20 p.m.:

Investigators with the highway patrol say that Henderson was justified in the shooting of Bogard.

Trial Date Set in Nixa Mayor's DWI Case:

A bench trial will be heard on November 18th in Christian County for the drunk driving case of the mayor of Nixa.

Brian Hayes was pulled over on June 14th for suspicion of drunk driving in Nixa. Once the Nixa police officer realized who he had pulled over, the Highway patrol was called in to take over the investigation.

Hayes, was released to a sober driver after he was booked into the Christian County jail.

Hayes has said that he, "regrets his poor decision to drive to put myself in this position. Due to my own poor decision I will be judged and scrutinized, all of which I deserve, but the City of Nixa does not."

Two Nixa aldermen have publicly asked that Hayes voluntarily resign.

More Arrests In Truck Dragging Assault:

Three more people have been arrested for the truck dragging assault of 24 year-old Christopher Collier last month.

Collier was tied to a truck and dragged 1400 feet on Highway 14 near Lakeway, AR, on August 22 or 23rd. The blood trail from the dragging was about 3 feet long according to authorities.

Marion County Sheriff Roger Vickers said Gregg Bryant, 20, Martin Zobus, 31, and Felisha Besse, 21, all of rural Boone County have been arrested and face charges of criminal attempt to commit capital murder, and first-degree battery.

James Bennett, 19, of Yellville and Nichole Jones, also known as Nichole Murphy, 24, of Lakeway are already facing similar charges connected to the case. They have both bonded out of jail.

Collier’s grandfather, Edwin Boudreau, says that his grandson was lured to a house sometime after midnight, where he was beaten, tied up and dragged behind the truck.

Sheriff Vickers says that deputies became aware of the dragging after Collier was able to get away and make his way to a house on Hwy 14 looking for help.

No one was home at the time, and Collier broke in to the house and took the keys to a truck. He was driving the truck towards a hospital in Yellville when he encountered a vehicle and asked for help. Those people took him to a house on MC 8050, and called 9-1-1.

The 9-1-1 caller said that Collier had been beaten, possibly shot and dragged down the road.

Deputies say that Collier kept repeating that he did not want to go to jail because he was driving a stolen pickup,” Vickers said. According to Vickers, officers learned that Collier had been tied behind a vehicle and dragged about 1,400 feet on Highway 14

Collier was airlifted with critical injuries to the burn unit at St. John’s in Springfield for injuries to his face, hands, feet, and knees from being dragged on the pavement.

Sheriff Vickers says that drugs and/or a possible love triangle could be involved in Collier's assault. Vicker's says that Collier is a low level sex offender and won't discount the possibility that that could have played some sort of role in his attack. "We're not speculating on anything at this point," he says.

Collier was released last week from the hospital last week.

All five suspects are awaiting court dates in Marion County Circuit Court.