Winans Pleads Guilty To Elderly Carthage Couple's Brutal Murder:

Ellen and Robert Sheldon

One of the men who killed an elderly couple from Carthage in October of 2008 has been spared the death penalty after pleading guilty to second-degree murder today.

Darren Joseph Winans, 23, of Jasper and Matthew Laurin of Springfield were both charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the stabbing deaths of Robert and Ellen Sheldon. The family dog was also killed in the attack.

Jasper County Prosecutor Dean Dankleson says the pair went to rob the couple and steal weapons from their business, The Old Cabin Shop, that sat adjacent to their home. 



Darren Joseph Winans (l.) and Matthew D. Laurin

 Laurin pleaded guilty to frst-degree murder, armed criminal action and burglary his part in the crime last July. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Shortly after that plea jailers found him dead...hanging from a bedsheet in his jail cell. 

Laurin's suicide left no witnesses or victims for prosecutors - Winans girlfriend and her mother, whom he allegedly confessed to, both died of drug overdoses. Teresa Adkins testified that at Winan's preliminary hearing that in December of 2008 Winans told she and her daughter Amanda that he and Laurin went to Carthage to kill Robert and Ellen Sheldon and their dog because their drug dealer wanted guns in exchange for drugs.
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Sources say Laurin's first time in Carthage was the night the Sheldon's were murdered

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When Laurin changed his plea, he had to write a statement of facts for the prosecutor and the judge, it reads: “Darren Winans and I wanted to buy some cocaine and marijuana. We needed money to do it so we planned to rob a gun shop that Darren knew about near Carthage, and steal some guns and sell them.“On Oct. 11, 2008, around 10 p.m., I drove Darren and myself to the property owned by Robert and Ellen Sheldon. Both Darren and I had bought masks and gloves to wear, and both of us brought knives in case we needed them.“The alarm system was on in the gun shop so we went to the house the Sheldons lived in. The door wasn’t locked so I just opened the door and went in. I asked Ellen Sheldon and Robert Sheldon for the keys to the gun shop, but neither would give them to me so I stabbed both of them until they died. Then Darren went upstairs and found a couple of guns and a safe and we took those and left

Today Winans pleaded guilty to amended charges of two counts of second-degree murder and armed criminal action.  He also pleaded guilty to burglary.  The maximum sentence he could receive is life in prison, which is thirty years in the state of Missouri, on each of the murder and armed criminal action convictions.

The judge will have to decide if those will be served concurrently (at the same time) or consecutively (one after the other.)  We will find that decision out on May 4th when Judge Gayle Crane sentences Winans.

Soldier Who Met Girl On Social Network Site Charged With Statutory Rape:

Daryl Sage Waldron (mug shot TCSO)

A 27 year-old soldier from North Carolina is behind bars in Taney County for allegedly having sex with a girl who just turned fourteen.

Authorities throughout the Ozarks searched for the teenager, who lives with her grandparents, and Daryl Sage Waldron for over a week.  Waldron, who has been charged with four counts of statutory rape, was busted as he attempted to return a rental car at Springfield-Branson National Airport last week.

The teen and the soldier met on the social networking site MySpace last year and began corresponding regularly. 

Officers attempted to track the teen, who was missing from February 15- 23, using her cell phone.  They located her after she was dropped off near a post office in Ridgedale. 

After he was read his rights,Waldron allegedly admitted to officers that he had sex with the girl at Fall Creek Resort during the time she was missing and at the Radisson Hotel in Branson in October of last year when the girl was thirteen.

Waldron is being held on $500,000 bond because prosecutors consider him a flight risk citing his ability to flee the county as a member of the Army Reserves and their belief that he is a danger to the community.  He has also been ordered not to contact the victim or any other children and ordered to steer clear of intoxicants.

Ten Branson Businesses Cited For Selling Alcohol To Minors

During a random compliance check of thirty three restaurants and a winery in Branson on February 25th local police officers found only ten that served alcohol to minors.  Chief Carroll McCullough said in a news release that the department was aided by three minors in the sweep last week.  He also says the department will continue to conduct random checks to catch businesses that violate the law.

Citations for the sale of intoxicants to minors were issued to clerks at the following business who allegedly broke the law:

• Branson Grand Bar & Grill, 245 N. Wildwood
• Sharkey's, 239 Shepard of the Hills Expressway
• Bleu Olive, 204 N. Commercial St.
• Old Chicago, 801 Branson Landing
• Pizza Hut, 1050 Branson Hills Parkway
• Tijuana Willie’s, 2001 Missouri 248
• Buckingham’s Restaurant & Oasis, 2820 W. Missouri 76
• Charlie’s Steak Ribs & Ale, 3009 W. Missouri 76
• Little Hacienda, 9 Treasure Lake
• Stone Hill Winery, 601 S. Missouri 248.

Man Searching For Scrap Metal Stumbles Upon Badly Decomposed Body In Polk County:

Crime scene tape surrounds the area where a badly decomposed boy was found (courtesy KY3)

Authorities in Polk County have asked for help from the Missouri Highway Patrol in a death investigation after a man looking for scrap metal stumbled upon a badly decomposed body not far from where Highways 215 and 13 intersect about 4 p.m. today.

Sheriff Steve Bruce says it appears the body, which was discovered about 300 feet off the highway in some woods near Brighton, has been there for an extensive period.

Investigators found no identification on or around the body and medical examiners will most likely have to rely on dental records to make an identification.

A highway patrol spokesman says it doesn't appear that homicide is the cause of death at this point, but adds that officers are in the early stages of their investigation

Branson Man Sentenced To Prison For Stabbing Elderly Stepfather:

Michael A. Sharpe ( mug shotTCSO)

A forty six year-old man from Branson has been sentenced to seventeen years in prison for stabbing his stepfather multiple times in January of 2010.

Authorities say a short time after Michael A. Sharpe and his wife showed up at the home of Wendell Clare he attacked the elderly man with a pocket knife.  Sharpe sliced Clare in the face, arms and hands with the knife. 

Clare fired two shots from a gun to defend himself. One of those rounds went into the ceiling, the other lodged in Sharpe's foot which required surgery.

Just as his trial was set to begin last November Sharpe entered a guilty plea. 
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Sharpe, who was sentenced as a prior and persistent offender, was sentenced on February 24th, to seventeen years for domestic assault and another seventeen year term for armed criminal action.  Those sentences will be served concurrently (at the same time.)

Former Teacher And Convicted Sex Offender Jailed AGAIN:



Alison M. Peck February 2011 mug shot (GCSO)

 A former band teacher in Greenfield found herself behind bars again for failing to follow the terms of her probation.

Alison M. Peck, 25, pleaded guilty to several sex charges in Greene, Lawrence and Dade counties for having sex with a 16 year-old student.

In December of 2009 a judge sentenced Peck to five years probation and ordered she receive counseling and register as a sex offender.

Peck failed to meet two separate dates to register as a sex offender and a warrant was issued for her arrest.

Today Judge Calvin Holden said Peck had also been kicked out of counseling and failed drug tests and ordered that she be taken into custody and held on $75,000 bond.

Holden has three options available to him when Peck appears before him again next Friday.  He can order she serve 120 days shock incarceration, she be placed in a drug rehabilitation facility for 120 days or he can revoke her probation and send her to prison for five years.

In a civil suit filed by the family of the victim, Peck was ordered to pay $250,000 plus attorney's fees.  The insurance company for the Greenfield School District settled with the family for an undisclosed amount.

Former Highway Patrol Trooper Facing New Charges In Christian County:

Kenny Lynn Dean newest mug shot (CCSO)

A former Highway Patrol Trooper who was sentenced to five years probation after pleading guilty to  domestic assault on February 18th is facing new charges in Christian County.

Prosecutors have charged Kenny Lynn Dean with burglary following a high speed chase on Tuesday that began in Nixa and ended in Ozark.

Detective Jason Hartsell with the Nixa police department says they received a phone call from a family member of Dean's estranged wife Tracy saying the were concerned for her well being.

As police officers arrived at the woman's home (who had an active protection order against Dean) they found her running to a neighbor's house to call for help after she was allegedly held against her will for at least 24 hours by Kenny Dean.  Officers attempted to apprehend Dean, who fled in a vehicle, "But he wasn't havin' any part of that and sped up," according to Hartsell.

Dean's former colleagues were called in to assist in the chase as was the Ozark police department.  That chase ended at 2405 W. Westwind Drive in Ozark after his car was disabled by spike strips.  Dean then bailed out of his vehicle and attempted to steal a pickup truck parked in the driveway.  Unsuccessful, he ran into the open garage of strangers and picked up a large metal object and assaulted Trooper Scott Rice and Ozark police officer Tim Fielden.

In February of 2009 prosecutors in Stone County charged Dean with first-degree domestic assault, second-degree felonious restraint and second-degree domestic assault for an incident that left Tracy Dean with bleeding on her brain and a fractured wrist.

Dean, who was assigned to Troop D (southwest Missouri) from January of '01 to March of '04, was charged last June with kidnapping, burglary and assaulting Tracy Dean in Christian County.  Those charges were amended to second degree domestic assault which he pleaded guilty to last week.

In July he was charged with defrauding a secured creditor in Christian County and last month he was charged with theft for allegedly stealing a flatbed trailer from his ex business partner in December.

Christian County chief assistant prosecutor Donovan Dobbs says they are waiting on additional reports from Nixa and Ozark and anticipate filing additional charges that could include assault of a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and attempting to flee.  Dobbs says they will ask a judge to revoke his probation.

One of Dean's former wife's says she's concerned that he will kill Tracy Dean, their children and will commit suicide by cop if he is let out on bond.

Dean is currently being held without bond in the Christian County jail.

Bomb Scare At Crane High School A Hoax:

School officials in Crane are offering five hundred dollars to the person who can tell them who is responsible for leaving left a note at the high school saying there was a bomb in the school Wednesday (02-23-11) morning.

Crane police chief John Elmore says a company the school contracts with to conduct drug searches has a dog that is certified to locate bombs.

Elmore says, "The dog made a full sweep of the school and found nothing.  Due to the location and the time it was discovered all indications at this point lead us to believe it was a student that left it."
 
An automated system alerted parents and advised them they could pick up their children. However, most decided to let them spend the day at school.

Calls to Superintendent Billy Redus have not been returned.

Nixa PD Needs Your Help In Identifying Suspect Who Tried To Rob Pharmacy:

Authorities In Nixa Need Your Help Identifying This Man

Police in Nixa are asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect who attempted to rob the pharmacy at Price Cutter in Nixa this afternoon (02-23-11.)

Detective Jason Hartsell says a white male approximately 19 to 25 year-old demanded two types of narcotics from a clerk and told her not to push any alarms.

The clerk told the suspect no.  A manager of the store chased after the man as he fled.  Hartsell says the suspect ran into a car on the Cox Health lot as he made his getaway.

The suspect is believed to be driving a light colored (possibly tan) SUV (possibly a Lexus). 

Witnesses were able to give police officers the first three characters on the license plate, FD8. Hartsell says the suspect a car on the Cox Health lot as he made his getaway. 

The man is described as six feet tall and was last seen wearing a black stopping cap with light stripes on it and a North Face jacket.

If you can help police identify the suspect you're asked to call the Nixa Police Department at 417-725-2510 or 9-1-1.

New Details Emerge In Text Message Murders Of Nevada Teens:

Kylie Leyva (l.) and Anne "Annie" Reed

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Nearly two years after two teen aged girls from Nevada were allegedly stabbed to death over text messages,  new details are emerging in the case. 

Leviathon Lee Dipman, 20, of Nevada has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection to the deaths of fourteen year-old Kylie Leyva and eighteen year-old Anne "Annie" Reed and court documents indicate it was a conpiracy.
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Leviathon "Levi" Dipman (mug shot VCSO)

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Garrett Matthew Mason, now 19, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and armed criminal action for the May 24, 2009, murders of his classmates.

Authorities say Dipman's arrest was due to information received from a confidential informant.  Officer Pamela Miller with the Nevada Police Department writes in the probable cause statement against Dipman, "Prior to Mr. Mason leaving the residence (Allan Harper's) to go to Ms. Reed's residence, Mr. Dipman, Mr. Mason and Mr. Harper had conversation on how Mr. Mason was going to kill both Ms. Reed and Ms. Leyva."



Garrett Matthew Mason (mug shot VCSO)

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The informant says that Dipman  made the comment, "To go kill them, cut them up and make their blood decorate the walls."  She [the confidential informant] says that Dipman, Mason and Harper,  "Spoke about a butcher knife" that was in the trunk of a vehicle the group had taken on a camping trip to Stockton Lake and that "the keys to the vehicle were still in the car and all he had to was get the knife when he left."

At Mason's preliminary hearing in August of 2009 Amanda Sandoval testified that she, Mason, Harper and Dipman had been camping and that when they returned Leyva and Reed began sending insulting text messages to her and that Mason had gone to Reed's apartment to get them to stop.

Sandoval, who at one time lived with Annie Reed and Mason, said Harper was a former boyfriend and Dipman was her ex-fiance. Dipman and Leyva had also once been boyfriend and girlfriend but had broken up.  Sandoval testified that Leyva had been one of her best friends.

Sandoval said she and Leyva had made a pact never to date Levi again, but she broke that promise when she went camping with him.

Sandoval, Dipman and Harper testified that as they were leaving to return a beer keg, Mason came running back to Harper's home as authorities with their sirens blaring were making their way to Reed's apartment.

A few hours before she was found stabbed to death Leyva had sent her mother a message saying she was having fun at Reed's watching movies.  Witnesses say Reed ran from her apartment after the attack and named Mason as the person who killed her and her friend.

Friends left momentos on the steps of Reed's apartment

Mason allegeldy told his friends he needed to change clothes because he had been in the same ones all weekend.  Harper popped the trunk and Mason changed behind the car then slipped into the backseat.

Sandoval said Mason initially acted like he didn't not know what was going on, asking them what was up with the police, but then told the group they needed to say he had been with them the last few hours.

Dipman testified “That’s when I turned around and noticed there was blood on his arm."

Officer Miller interviewed Garrett Matthew Mason again on February 16, 2011, about Reed and Leyva's murders.  He stated, "Mr. Dipman, Mr Harper and the informant were involved in the planning of the murders of Ms. Reed and Ms. Leyva.

When asked if Dipman perjured himself on the stand at Mason's prelim and if would affect his case against Mason, Vernon County Prosecutor Lynn Ewing said, "I don't see how....he just didn't give a full and complete disclosure of what happened."

Ewing says the investigation into Reed and Leyva's murders is ongoing and would not comment on whether any charges would be filed against Sandoval or Harper.

Mason's trial was scheduled to begin in April, but that trial setting has been canceled and replaced with a motion hearing on March 7th.  When asked if Mason was going to plead guilty and testify for the state, Ewing responded, "Ethically, I cannot comment on that."

McDonald County Authorities Investigating Homicide Of Elderly AR Man:

McDonald County Sheriff Robert Evenson

Authorities in McDonald County are working a homicide in a rural part of the county.

Sheriff Robert Evenson says that a passerby called 9-1-1 at 4:01 p.m. on Sunday February 20th and said there was a man lying on the side of Gobbler's Knob Road near Powell.

When deputies arrived they found 67 year-old Jack McCain of Rogers, Arkansas dead. "I can't release the cause of death, but we don't believe it was accidental and he obviously didn't walk there."

Rogers is about 20 miles from where McCain's body was found and Powell is approximately five miles from the state line.  

Southwest Missouri Forensics will conduct an autopsy at 1 p.m. autopsy to determine the mans cause of death.  

Investigators from Missouri Highway Patrol are assisting the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office in the case.  

Anyone with any information regarding this death investigation is urged to call the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office at 417-223-7420 or 9-1-1.  
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UPDATE 02-23-11:
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Investigators say that McCain was shot more than once.  Highway Patrol investigators continue to assist authorities in McDonald County and Arkansas in the investigation into McCain's murder.

Second Person Charged In Leyva and Reed Murders:

Leviathon Lee Dipman (mug shot VCSO)

It was almost two years ago that two teen aged girls from Nevada were stabbed to death and a friend of the girls was charged with their murders.


Authorities say the investigation into the murders of Kylie Leyva, 14 and Anne "Annie" E. Reed, 18, has been ongoing and detectives arrested a second man in connection to the May 24, 2009, double homicide last week.


On Thursday February 17th, Leviathon  Lee Dipman, 20, of Nevada was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection to Leyva and Reed's deaths.  He is being held on a $1 Million dollars cash only bond.


Another man, Garrett Matthew Mason, 19, also of Nevada was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and armed criminal the day of his classmates murders.
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Garrett Matthew Mason (mug shot VCSO)

 In the probable cause statement filed with the charges against Mason, Nevada Police Officer Pamela Miller writes she and two other officers found Kylie Leyva and Anne "Annie" Reed suffering from multiple serious stab wounds at Reed's North Cedar Street apartment.
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Kylie Leyva (l.) and Anne E. Reed

Just a few hours before the attack, Kylie had called her mother to tell her she was having fun watching movies with Annie.


Court documents reveal that Mason told investigators he had spent several hours with the girls at Reed's apartment before he allegedly stabbed them.
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After she was stabbed, Reed was able to get out of the apartment and run to a neighbors house for help.  She told the neighbor that Garrett Mason stabbed her and her friend.
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Three other witnesses told authorities in written statements that Mason came to their home with what appeared to be fresh blood on his body and his clothes. The witnesses told investigators that Mason changed his clothes and put them in a backpack, which he placed in the trunk of his car.  Those friends told authorities that Mason wanted them to provide an alibi for him by telling authorities he was with them at the time of the double murder. 


When investigators arrived at Mason's mother's house he was sitting on the curb waiting for them.  Mason's trial is scheduled to begin in April. However, several sources say that Mason may plead guilty on March 7th.


More information on Dipman's arrest and his role in the murder will be available tomorrow when documents can be obtained from the Vernon County Circuit Clerks Office. 


Authorities say additional arrests in the murders of Kylie Leyva and Annie Reed could be made.  They are asking anyone who may have information in this case to call them at 417- 448-2700.

Former Educator Convicted Of Rape Being Sough For Failure To Register As Sex Offender:

Alison Peck is wanted for failure to register as a sex offender:

A former educator who pleaded guilty to sex charges involving one of her students in several counties in southwest Missouri is being sought by authorities.

Alison M. Peck, 24, pleaded guilty to rape and statutory sodomy charges in November of 2009 and was placed on five years probation.  She failed to register as a sex offender in December of 2010 and a warrant has been issued for her arrest.  Online court records show that prosecutors want Peck's probation revoked.

In the probable cause statement filed with the charges, authorities say that a 16-year-old boy started texting Peck, who worked in Greenfield, during the 2008 Christmas break.

In January, the teenager told authorities that he began visiting Peck's home in Mt. Vernon and that the two had sex at the teachers residence on numerous occasions.

Prosecutors in Dade County filed two statutory rape charges against Peck earlier this year and the Lawrence County Prosecutor filed one count of statutory rape and another statutory sodomy charge against the former band teacher.

Greene County prosecutors charged Peck with statutory rape charge after friends of the woman's arranged a liaison between the teacher and the same victim in the other cases at the American Inn in Springfield. One of Peck's friends rented the room in her name after Peck told her that she was being watched by authorities.

The father of the victim hired attorney Craig Heidemann who filed a civil lawsuit against Peck in Greene County for $1.9 MILLION dollars plus attorneys fees. Judge Mark Fitzsimmons ordered Peck to pay $250,000 plus $25,000 in attorneys fees.

In December of 2009, Peck's attorney, Steve Meier, said Peck had lost her certification to teach.  "She just went ahead and mailed it [her teaching certificate] in. Alison has taken accountability for her actions and has taken the necessary steps to try and make this right. Hopefully, she can pick herself up and find a new passion and become a productive member of society."

Bracker Promoted To Lieutenant:

Dan Bracker - Missouri Highway Patrol

On March 1, 2011, Sergeant Daniel S. Bracker will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant.  He will remain assigned to Troop D.

Bracker was appointed to the Patrol on January 1, 1992, as a member of the 64th Recruit Class.  Upon graduating from the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy in Jefferson City, he was assigned to Troop D, Zone 14, serving Barry County.  In 1994, he transferred to Zone 12, Christian County, and in 1997, he was promoted to corporal and designated assistant zone supervisor for the Christian County zone.  In 2001, Bracker was assigned as one of two public information and education officers serving Troop D. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2003 during that assignment.

A native of Joplin, Lieutenant Bracker graduated from Parkwood High School in 1982.  In 1987, he graduated from Missouri State University, Springfield, with a bachelor’s degree in communications. 
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Lieutenant Bracker and his wife, Tamara (Schafer), are the proud parents of two daughters:  Abby and Hannah.  He is the son of Bob and Connie Bracker, of Springfield.

Grandmother Charged In Murder For Hire Plot:

Gayle Jean Thornberry (mug shot JPD)

A Joplin woman was arrested over the weekend in a murder for hire plot to kill a woman from Webb City.

Sergeant Charla Geller with the Joplin police Department say officers took Gayle Jean Thornberry, 45, into custody Saturday February 12th at the Capri Motel, 3401 S. Main, after she attempted to obtain a "throw-down" weapon from an undercover agent with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office of the Department of Homeland Security.

Geller says that detectives received a report on February 6th that Thornberry was trying to hire someone to kill the adoptive mother of her biological grandchildren.  Geller says Thornberry had been in touch with the children's biological mother who lives in North Carolina and "made reference to wanting to tamper with the Webb City woman's brake lines.  She wanted the woman's murder to be quick and silent, and she indicated she would throw the murder weapon into the ocean in Florida."
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The boyfriend of Geller's daughter contacted authorities.  Since the information came from North Carolina, federal agents were contacted and the ICE agent, who also works with the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, was assigned the case.
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Court documents indicate that Thornberry had discussed taking out a life insurance policy on the woman with her daughter, then collecting on the policy after she was murdered.
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As law enforcers were building their case against Thornberry, she started talking with her daughter about another method to kill the woman.  "In recorded phone calls with her daughter she said she could tase her and shoot her up with methamphetamine,"  Geller said.  "She also said she would sell the woman's biological child to pay for her grandchildren's expenses. 

That's when authorities knew they needed to act quickly...they were almost certain she didn't have a firearm at that point, but weren't sure if she had access to a taser.

Geller says police aren't releasing the Webb City woman's name at this time because they are attempting to reach other potential victims in the plot.  "We hope to release more information tomorrow."

The probable cause statement says that Geller admitted to discussing alleged plots to kill the woman, "but they were all fantasy."

Thornberry, who pleaded guilty to making a false police report in 2009 and 2010 has had several order of protections for stalking filed against her, has been charged with murder for hire and is behind bars in Newton County on $500,000 bond.

Domestic Disturbance Leads To Man Stabbing Brother In Baxter County:

Travis John Clary (mug shot BXCSO)

A man from Baxter County, Arkansas has been arrested and charged with assault for allegedly stabbing his brother as he tried to break up a domestic disturbance between the man and his wife.

Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery says deputies were called by the owner of Bayou Resort shortly before 8 p.m. last night (02-12-11) who said there was a man who had been stabbed on his porch.

As officers approached a cabin where the suspected stabber was supposed to be hiding, one of them spotted the suspect hiding in the woods in back of the cabin.  After a brief chase, Travis John Clary, 26, of Gamaliel was arrested.

At the time of his arrest, Clary had blood on his pants and appeared intoxicated.  A double edged dagger, believed to be the weapon used in the stabbing, was found outside the cabin.  The sheath for the knife was inside the dwelling, which was in complete disarray.

Twenty seven year-old Timothy J. Clary was transported by private vehicle to Baxter Regional Hospital with a single stab wound to the stomach.
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Travis Clary, who is also facing charges of domestic battery and fleeing an officer, is being held in the Baxter County jail on $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 10th.

Ozark Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Producing Child Porn:

A man from Ozark has been sentenced to thirty years in federal prison for producing child pornography for almost a decade.

Federal prosecutors say Timothy J. Kemner, 35, used a minor between January of 2002 until January 16, 2010 to make kiddie porn.

U. S. District Judge Richard E. Dorr also ordered Kemner to spend the rest of his life on supervised parole following his release from prison.

First Civil Lawsuit Filed In Kanakuk Kamp Sex Scandal:

Peter Daniel Newman prison mug shot

The first civil lawsuit has been filed in the Kanakuk Kamp sex scandal involving  former camp counselor Peter D. Newman.  It is anticipated that there will be several more filed in the coming weeks.

The Turner Report broke the story today that Newman, who is serving two life sentences plus thirty years in prison for the sex crimes, K-Kamp, Inc. (formerly known as Kanakuk Kamp, Inc.) and Kanakuk Ministries are listed as the defendants in the lawsuit which was filed January 31st.

Attorney Michael E. Merrell (full disclosure he is Taney County prosecutor Jeff Merrell's father) is the local attorney for the plaintiff, listed as John Doe (J. G.), in court filings.  The elder Merrell says he and his son handle different types of law,  "I'm a civil lawyer and he handles criminal cases.  We agreed 12 years ago not to discuss cases outside of the office."

Mike Merrell says he was contacted by Alabama attorney G. Rick DiGiorgio, who is the lead counsel on this case, and asked if he would be the local contact and go to man for a civil lawsuit involving Kanakuk and Newman.

Pete Newman as he appeared in a Kanakuk Kamp brochure

Online court records indicate those served are Newman, Joe White as the registered agent for K-Kamp, and Donald Frank as the registered agent for Kanakuk Ministries.

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In February of last year Newman pleaded guilty, without a plea agreement, to two counts of first-degree statutory sodomy, three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and three counts of enticement of a child in Taney County.

One part of the probable cause statement filed with the charges in September of 2009 offered an insight into how Newman enticed kids at the Christian camp to play naked basketball and take part in nude bible study in a hot tub if they masturbated with him, or performed sex acts on him, it wouldn't be a sin:

"Between 2005 and 2008, Pete Newman became a close friend of  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."

One of the boys told sheriff's investigators that he and Newman masturbated together 10 times over four years.  Another victim told authorities that the mutual masturbation led to oral sex when the youngster turned 15.

During sentencing  for Newman last June, Taney County Prosecutor Jeff Merrell asked Dr. Joseph Plaud, the defenses psychologist expert, if he was aware of a situation at Kanakuk in 2003 where Newman signed a probationary agreement acknowledging sexual improprieties with young boys.  Plaud responded that he was. 
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In court documents filed in the civil lawsuit against Kanakuk and Newman, attorney's allege that officials at Kanakuk knew about Newman's inappropriate behavior with young boys as far back as 1999. 
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The plaintiff, who is now 19 years old, says the abuse started when he was twelve and that the Christian based youth camp swept reports of Newman's sexual abuse of campers under the rug and continued to employ him because he generated a huge amount of revenue for the company. 
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In a cost saving measure for the camp Newman often asked families that had children active in Kanakuk's ministry if he could stay in their home while he was plugging "purity" for the camp.  At the time of those visits the families were unaware that Newman was either sexually abusing their children or attempting to groom them for sexual abuse. 
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John Doe - J. G. - says Newman's sexual abuse has caused him emotional distress, at times making him suicidal, and have made him question his sexuality since his first sexual encounter was with a man.  The lawsuit says the camp is guilty of fraud and failing to act as a reasonable person would expect camp staff to act in the place of a parent.  It seeks unspecified damages and attorney's have asked for a jury trial
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Sex charges were filed against Newman in La Plata County, Colorado following a similar incident with a young boy at Kanakuk's K-Colorado facility (which was sold to White's daughter and son-in-law and has been renamed KIVU) in September of 2008.  Those charges were dismissed following Newman being sentenced to two life terms. 

Former lead investigator for the Colorado case Sam  Eggleston said at the time, "Prosecutors here were pleased with the sentences that Newman received in Missouri and don't think pursuing charges against him here would add anything to the sentences he is already serving there."

Because the charges in Colorado were dismissed without prejudice, prosecutors there can refile them at any time.  "Colorado does not a have a statutory time limit for charging someone with any offense involving a sexual assault on a child," said Eggleston.

Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama and other states had expressed interest in pursuing similar charges against Newman.  It is unclear if those states will follow Colorado's lead.
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Mike Merrell says that at this point he and DiGiorgio are only representing one client.  "If there are other victims out there who want to join our lawsuit, we'd be happy to have them.  We discussed filing this lawsuit in federal court but decided to go the state route at this time."

Newman is now housed at Jefferson City Correctional Facility.  The address he was served with the most recent lawsuit ironically is named No More Victims.

~~DEVELOPING~~Charges Pending Against Woman Who Shot Love Rival:

A Springfield woman is being treated for non-life threatening injuries after being shot by another woman who was dating her boyfriend.

Police surrounded a house at 1408 N. Division after they were dispatched to a shots fired call.  The house is near Division Street on the city's north side.

Authorities ordered the occupants to come out of the house; two  men, two women and a child exited the dwelling.

A woman was taken into custody at the scene and charges are pending against the woman involved in the love triangle.

Huggins Murder Trial Postponed:

Michael R. Huggins (mug shot Monett PD)

The second-degree murder trial of a man from Monett set to begin this week in Barry County has been postponed until March 14th.

Prosecutors say Michael R. Huggins, 29, bludgeoned Josh Utter to death in September of 2007.  Utter's, of Pierce City, mutilated body was discovered near Jenkins along Flat Creek by a conservation agent.

Another man, Gary L. Dillard, 34, also of Monett is charged with hindering prosecution in Utter's murder.  He is also scheduled to appear in court next month.

Kentucky Couple Busted In Formula Heist:



Susan M. Cottongim - Imad I. Alqran

 Two people from Kentucky were busted for stealing nearly $5,000 worth of baby formula from area Wal-Marts on January 29th.

Imad I. Alquran, 48, and Susan M. Cottongim, 42, both from Garfield, Ky. have been charged with receiving stolen property and are behind bars in Christian County.

According to court records, Walmart’s loss prevention officer in Ozark Jared Posey said “he noticed an unidentified male that he recognized from a company e-mail he received earlier in the month.”

As Posey watched the man leaving the store, he saw that Alquran "tried to hide his cart in the cart bin" as he was approached by store personnel near the store's exit.

Alquran was detained while Ozark police officers Kane Northcutt and Anthony Appleton responded to the store.

While being questioned about the alleged formula heist, Alquran "became irate ... stated he did not steal anything and that he was going to pay for the formula," according to the incident report.

Posey told Northcutt and Appleton that surveillance video showed Alquran driving a van onto the parking lot and that another person was still inside the vehicle.

Items recovered from Cottongim's vehicle

"Appleton advised me that Susan was the owner of the van, and that we had permission to look inside. Upon looking inside the van, I discovered hundreds of cans of baby formula, along with numerous bags of potato chips, cereal and toilet paper," Northcutt said in his report.

According to the probable cause statement, Cottongim told investigators that "Imad goes and does the work in Walmart and leaves with milk (baby formula.)"

Cottongim told cops that Alquran sells it to "some guy." She said she wasn't sure what happens to it then but "thinks it goes to New York or Lexington." Cottongim told officers the couple spent about three hours that day hitting stores in Republic, Nixa and Ozark.

Officers recovered 427 items valued at $5,269 from the van, including 358 cans of baby formula valued at $13 and $14 each. Other items seized included cartons of energy drinks, toilet paper, paper towels and potato chips.

This arrest sheds light on a crime that is trending nationwide. Joseph LaRocca of the National Retail Federation says thieves usually steal then resell merchandise, possibly over the Internet, in a flea market or on the black market.

Judge John Waters set Alquran and Cottongim's bond at $5,000 cash.