UPDATED~~DEVELOPING--MOTHER AND LITTLE BOY FOUND KILLED IN LACLEDE COUNTY HOME--COPS FIND HUSBANDS BODY IN WATER FILLED QUARRY:

Authorities on the scene of a double homicide on Goldenwood Road in Lebanon (courtesy KJEL)

Authorities in La Clede County are investigating a double homicide.

Sources close to the investigation confirm that an elementary school aged little boy (5th grade) and his mother are the victims in the case. They were found dead shortly before 8 a.m. after a family member received a message saying that "someone should go check on the family."

A family friend went to the house an eight year-old little boy answered the door and when he went to find his mother 40 year-old Sheila Johnson, he found her dead. When went he went down the hall, he found his 10 year-old brother Blake dead in his bedroom.

An investigator says that both Sheila and Blake had been stabbed and suffered blunt force trauma to their headss in their Goldenwood Road home, which is not far from Atchley Park.

Authorities, who believe Blake and Sheila Johnson were killed late last night or early this morning, have placed the 8 year-old little boy in protective custody.

But the father and husband of the deceased, Todd A. Johnson, is nowhere to be found. Police aren't sure if that's because he to could be a victim, or if he is somehow involved in the murder of his family.



Todd and Sheila Johnson (above)

Police have interviewed someone who was at the house last night, and don't believe he is a suspect in the murders. Investigators say they need to find Todd Johnson "to check his well being."

Cops say Johnson is 5 ' 11", has blue eyes and weighs approximately 170 pounds. He may be driving a charcoal colored Nissan Armada like the one pictured below with Mo tag SF1-X9B.





Dr. Duane Widhalm, superintendent of schools in Lebanon, says that his office was notified that one of his students was found dead along with his mother this morning.

Earlier in the day Widhalm said that the younger brother of the 5th grader who was killed was missing. However, Sheriff Richard Wrinkle said by phone that the little boy had been found in his bedroom unharmed by the friend who went to check on the family.

Boswell elementary, which Blake attended, and Maplecrest elementary, which the 8 year-old attended, were placed on preventative lock-down because a suspect is still on the loose. Widhalm says that they are monitoring anyone entering those buildings and that students will not be allowed outside for recess.

Sonic restaurants in Lebanon and Waynesville are closed today and, cops have been at the Lebanon store looking for possible clues in the murders. Tod Johnson manages at least four stores in the area.

The suspect is believed to be armed with an unknown weapon and police don't know where he may be headed.




La Clede County Sheriff Richard Wrinkle

As a news conference was about to get underway this afternoon investigators were called back to the scene because a witness showed up there saying that they might have possible information that could aid them in their investigation.

Late breaking news (3:30 p.m.) is that a vehicle with a body inside of it, that seems to match one cops have been looking for, has been pulled from a water filled quarry not far from the Johnson's home.

Sheriff Wrinkle says he believes that the body that was pulled from the vehicle this afternoon is indeed Todd Johnson.

Wrinkle says that some people had been to a recycling center not far from the quarry and had hit a deer. Those people got out to look at the damage to their vehicle and noticed that there were fresh tire tracks that led to off of a 100 foot cliff into the water filled quarry. When they looked over the side of the cliff they saw the S-U-V in the water.

Wrinkle says that the head of the man they found in the vehicle was crushed, but that when investigators talked to an adopted daughter of Johnson's she told them that her father had to have a toe amputated several years ago and surgically reattached.

According to the sheriff, the crash victim has a toe that is shorter than the others that has a surgical scar.

The bodies of Blake and Sheila Johnson have not been removed from the house as authorities thought they were going to have to obtain a search warrant before that could be done. With them finding Todd Johnson's car and body, Sheriff Wrinkle says they will not have to do that now.

Wrinkle believes that his department is now investigating a murder/suicide...."I think he knew he was especially screwed...and he decided to kill himself."

Autopsy's are scheduled for the Johnson's tomorrow morning (01-23-10) at 8:30 a.m. at Cox South.



Just three months ago this same community was rocked by the triple murder of Jeff and Glenda Smith and Zach Porter. Prosecutors allege in that case that the Smith's and Porter were killed by a group of four men, led by the former boyfriend of the Smith's daughter, who was jealous that she had started dating Porter.


NOTE: When news was breaking, I was told that Sheila Johnson was 30, and Blake was 11. The ages in the story have been corrected to reflect their accurate ages.