The Crime Scene

Republic Foster Father Charged With Multiple Sex Charges Involving Kids In His Care:

2012-01-31T14:49:00.001-06:00

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A longtime foster father from Republic is facing multiple sex charges related to two boys were placed in his home.

Mark Daniel Obrien, 40, was charged yesterday (01-30-12) with three counts of deviate statutory sodomy with a child under the age of 14, 1 count of felony child abuse, 1 count of child molestation and two counts of possession of child porn.

According to court records, the boys were between 7 and 9 years old at the time of the sexual assaults.

One of the boys told investigators that Obrien made him perform oral sex on him "on so many occasions that he could not remember the exact amount of times that the abuse occurred." The boy, who lived in Obrien's home from April of 2007 to June of 2009, also says that when Obrien had anal sex with him he videotaped it. He says he was also forced to watch kiddie porn with his foster dad.

The other boy told investigator's that Obrien inappropriately touched him on multiple occasions between June of 2009 and June of 2010.

According to the probable cause statement, a forensic computer examiner found multiple images of boys in various stages of undress engaged in sex acts on Obriens laptop. The history on that computer showed that Obrien had visited several sites that "made reference to child pornography."

Obrien has been a foster parent for about ten years and has had over fifty children, who were all boys, placed in his care.

Woman's Decomposing Body Found In Father's Home:

2012-01-31T12:35:00.003-06:00

Charity Ann Coscia was found decomposing in her father's home

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Authorities in Barry County are investigating the "suspicious death" of a woman whose decomposing body was found in her father's house.

Sheriff Mick Epperly says Charity Coscia, 28, was dead for at least two months when her brother found her dead on an air mattress in a bedroom in her father Peter's, 64, home at 28805 Walker Street in Seligman.

About six weeks prior to the gruesome discovery Scott Cosica had gone to check on his sister and was told by their father, "she was fine and to leave her alone," according to Epperly.

When Scott Coscia went back to the house on January 21st to take his father shopping he was overwhelmed by the smell inside the home and found his sibling dead. Peter Coscia told his son and investigator's that "he had no idea" that his daughter was dead.

"At this point we don't have we don't have anything to charge him with. Family members told us she had multiple health problems. We are waiting on autopsy results for a cause of death," said Epperly.

Charity Coscia was booked into the Springdale, Arkansas jail last September for DWI, according to court records. "That's the last documented time anyone outside of the family has seen her," said Barry County Detective Doug Henry.

Epperly says, "It's one of the weirdest cases I have ever worked."

Coscia's body was sent Sothwest Missouri Forensics in Springfield for autopsy.

Charges Filed Against Man Who Attacked Elderly Couple With Ax:

2012-01-29T13:54:00.005-06:00

Brandon M. Slavens (mug shot GCSO)

Charges have been filed against a Springfield man who broke into an elderly couple's home on Friday (01-27-12) and assaulted the couple.

Brandon M. Slavens is charged with burglary, robbery, armed criminal action, felonious restraint, resisting arrest, and two counts each of assault and tampering.

Slavens, 28, led cops on a high speed chase late Thursday night before he crashed his vehicle in the 800 block of State Highway T in Greene County.

Sometime between 3 and 3:30 a.m. the elderly couple, William, 81, and Bonita Pipkin, 79, who live about a mile from the crash scene, were woken up from noises outside their home.  Bonita Pipkin went to the back door and opened it and found Slavens standing in the breezeway holding an ax and told him to leave.

According to the probable cause statement, "As BP proceeded back into the residence and shut the door, Slavens shattered the door window and forced entry into the residence. Slavens grabbed a hold of BP and threw her on the floor. WP (the husband) was walking down the steps to the rear door pointing a rifle at Slavens. WP stated he pulled the trigger of the rifle in attempts to protect BP and himself. However, the gun safety was on and WP was not able to fire a shot right away at Slavens. Slavens immediately struck WP on his left arm with the ax, causing severe injuries to WP. Slavens took possession of the firearm and forced the couple back into the kitchen area."

Slavens demanded the couples money, credit cards, cell phones, medications, food, and car keys and then forced the couple into a closet and barricaded the door.

The couple told investigators they were able to crack the door open a few inches and witnessed Slavens ransacking their residence.

At about 8 a.m. the couples grandson arrived at his grandparent's home to drop off his dog and found the couple barricaded in a closet.

The elderly couple gave cops a description of their attacker and said he appeared to be “on dope.”

A BOLO was put out for the couples stolen 2001 white Chevy Imapla. Acting on a tip, authorities located the stolen vehicle in the 1700 block of E. Camorene.  The homeowner told investigators that he was familiar with Slavens, but was not friends with him, and did not give anyone permission to park the vehicle on his property.

An ax and the rifle taken from William Pipkin during the assault were recovered in the stolen vehicle.

A woman told detectives that Slaven's came to her residence on Caravan Friday (01-27-12) afternoon and that he was,  “scared, nervous and fidgety.” She said she also overheard Slavens say, “What was I suppose to do, he had a gun in my face.” The witness stated she heard the news about the couple who was assaulted and believed Slavens was involved with the assault of the elderly couple.

An interview with another witness who was also present at the house on Caravan said Slavens told her he was “in trouble.”  and he had done “something really wrong.”

Saturday afternoon cops found Slavens hiding, ironically in a closet, at a residence on the city's west side and he was taken into custody.

After being treated at a hospital for a dog bite he received while being apprehended, Slaven's was questioned by Detective Michael Eatherly.

According to court documents as Eatherly questioned Slavens he told him at one point in the interview, “They (the victims) saw you. The old man was going to shoot you, you know?" Slavens made a wincing facial expression and started crying as he nodded yes to my question. I told him he was lucky he was alive. Slavens continued to clearly nod yes. "

Eatherly told Slavens he had made a bad decision. While still crying Slavens stated, “I would never kill anybody.”

While questioning Slavens Eatherly told him, “I know it was you and you know it was you.” Slavens continued to cry and would not respond to my question. After a moment he stated, “It’s too late.”

With that, the interview was over when Slavens asked for an attorney.

Eatherly wrote in his statement, "It should be noted Slavens stated he was not the person the news was portraying him as."

Slavens mother, Phyllis, says meth has destroyed her boy. "I don't see my son doing something like that. But then I've seen what meth does to people and it totally changes you."

The Pipkins were hospitalized following the assault. William Pipkin suffered a compound fracture to his arm while Bonita Pipkin suffered less serious injuries. Both are now out of the hospital and recovering, but have not yet returned to their home as they are too scared.

Slavens is held in the Greene County jail on $300,000 bond.

~UPDATED~Suspicious Death Investigation Launched In Jasper County After Teen Hunter Finds Body In Creek:

2012-01-25T18:39:00.003-06:00

Ronnie J. Genandt mug shot (JCSO)

Authorities in Jasper County are treating a man's death as "suspicious" after he was found floating in Turkey Creek yesterday evening near Duquesne.

Captain Derek Walrod says a teenager who was squirrel hunting discovered the body of thirty-three year-old Ronnie J. Genandt off of east 7th near Travis Acres.

Walrod says at first there was some confusion in identifying Genandt because he was carrying the billfold and identification of a former roommate. Positive identification the dead man, who may have been in the water for over a week, was made by a family member, according to Walrod.

Captain Derek Walrod

Friends told investigators they had last seen Genandt around the holidays, said Walrod.

Detectives aren't sure how Genandt died as there were no visible wounds on his body. However, they are treating the man's death as a homicide until they receive autopsy results from Columbia.

Last April, Genandt was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine in Jasper County. In May, he pleaded guilty to unlawful use of drug paraphernalia and was placed on one year unsupervised probation. Then last August he was charged with possession of a controlled substance and driving while revoked after a Joplin police officer stopped to assist Genandt after his car had broken down.

Genandt was charged with possession of methamphetamine in Newton County in April and he was bound over for trial on Decmber 6, 2011. On December 19, 2011, a warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to appear to be arraigned in circuit court on the drug charge in Newton County.

"When you find a thirty three year-old man dead in a creek in the middle of nowhere, well, let's just say there are still lots of unanswered questions," said Walrod.
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UPDATE 01-26-12:

Genandt's death has been ruled an accidental drowning. The investigation remains open pending final autopsy results.

Authorities In Carthage Issue Apology After Nude Photo Is Posted On Their Facebook Page:

2012-01-24T21:55:00.000-06:00

Authorities in Carthage have issued an apology after an employee accidentally posted an explicit picture to the police department's facebook page Monday (01-23-12.)

Police Chief Greg Dagnan said a "grievous error" was made by a department employee who was using a computer that held investigative photos while trying to post post an announcement about the annual Mudstock festival.

The picture was only up for about five seconds, but that was long enough for someone to spot the offensive photo and call police dispatch. “We assumed it was deleted so fast nobody saw it,” he said.

“We should never be posting to Facebook on a computer that has anything investigative on it,” Dagnan said.

Dagnan said he said he does not believe the posting of the picture has jeopardized the criminal investigation in any way.

The police department began using Facebook last week. A news release at the time said the department wanted to use the social media site to keep the public informed “by going where they are,” and alerting the public to crimes and investigations.

Douglas County Woman Admits To Assaulting Boyfriend's Toddler Son:

2012-01-21T16:37:00.004-06:00

Baby Karson is doing well

A Douglas County woman who was charged last April with abusing her boyfriend's little boy while she was babysat him has entered an Alford plea.

Prosecutor's say Britini Leigh Tyra, 23, of Ava, shook baby Karson so violently that he had to be hospitalized and suffered extensive bruising from behind both ears that extended to the eyes and cheeks.

Britni Leigh Tyra will be sentenced in February

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Douglas County Deputy Vernon Johnson wrote in the probable cause statement, that the left side of the boy's head looked "considerably" worse than the right side. Johnson also noted that the toddlers right eye was "swollen shut. The bruising and swelling initially led me to believe (the boy) had been repeatedly beaten about the head and face."

A doctor said little Karson's scalp was torn away from his skull in the assault and was consistent with someone grabbing him by the ears and shaking him. The doctor said the bruising on the toddlers face "was blood pooling from hemorrhaging along the tears."

When Tyra was interviewed by authorities she told investigators she had no idea how the little boy ended up with the injuries.

The little boy did not suffer any internal injuries in the attack and reports are that his eyesight was not affected. Friends of baby Karson's mom started a justice for Karson facebook page.
Tyra is scheduled to be sentenced on February 24th in Douglas County.

****An Alford plea is where a defendant does not admit guilty but acknowledges that prosecutor's probably have enough evidence to secure a conviction if the case were to proceed to trial.

Woman Accused Of Raping Mentally Challenged Teen In Pulaski County:

2012-01-21T14:27:00.046-06:00

Nyesah R. Robinson (mug shot PCSO)

An woman from St. Ann has been charged with raping a developmentally disabled teenager in Pulaski County.

An alleged physical assault by Nyesah R. Robinson, 22, on January 17th left the victim with physical injuries, according to a news release from Sheriff J. B. King.

During the assault investigation members of the newly formed Pulaski County Special Victims Unit uncovered information on the sexual assaults.

When deputies interviewed the developmentally challenged teen it was discovered that the alleged sexual assaults began in November of 2011 when the victim was 15 years-old.

Robinson is being held in the Pulaski County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

Texas Man Charged With Tampering After Allegedly Stealing Government Bus:

2012-01-20T17:24:00.004-06:00

Tom Mourning (mug shot CPD)

A man from Spring, Texas who could not pay his bill at a restaurant in Conway has been charged with tampering with a motor vehicle in Laclede County after it was discovered he had stolen a government bus in Springfield.

According to a news release from the Conway Police Department, officers responded to a disturbance at the Rocking Chair restaurant about 11 a.m. Thursday (01-19-12) in response to a man being "very unruly and disorderly."

When Tom Stanley Mourning's credit cards were denied to pay the $13.86 bill he asked to be able to go next door to the Budget Inn to retrieve some cash. Conway police chief Michael Noyes accompanied the twenty two year-old to his motel room where Mourning allegedly tried run in the bathroom and shut the door to keep the officer out. When asked about the money Mourning said he had it in his hand and showed officers seven cents.

While investigating Mourning's activity at the motel it was discovered that he arrived in a bus with government plates.

According to the probable cause statement, Mourning went to Cummins Diesel located on Kearney Street in Springfield on January 18th and told him he was, "there to pick up the bus for the military" and was given the keys. Authorities in Springfield seized Mourning's vehicle he left at Cummins when he took the bus.

Mourning, who has been charged with shoplifting, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in municipal court in Conway, is being held on $25,000 bond in the Laclede County jail.

Another Delay In Capital Murder Trial Of Man Accused Of Killing Stepfather:

2012-01-20T09:54:00.012-06:00

The probable cause affidavit against Gary Wayne Parks is still sealed (mug shot BXCOSO)

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There has been another delay in the trial of a Tennessee man charged with capital murder for the 2006 stabbing death of his stepfather, Dr. David Millstein.

Baxter County Arkansas Prosecutor Ron Kincaide says defense attorneys for Gary Wayne Parks, 40, of Germantown, Tennessee have asked for a second continuance in their client's trial, which was scheduled to begin next Monday (01-23-12,) citing "a surprise" in the medical examiner's report.
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According to docket entries in the case, defense attorney's Joe Perry and Danny Glover, wanted the State Medical Examiner to pinpoint the time of Millstein's death. In December of 2010 Dr. Charles P. Kokes told defense attorney's that he could not pinpoint the time of Dr. Millstein's death and he does not routinely note the time of death while performing autopsy's.
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On January 13, 2012, Kokes faxed Parks' attorney's a letter noting that he believed the time of death was in the early morning hours of June 17, 2006. In their motion to continue, defense attorney's cited that the new information did not give them enough time properly defend Parks, and their need to have an expert review Dr. Kokes "opinion."

In the correspondence to defense attorney's Kokes says, "Autopsy findings alone, without consideration of investigative information, would place his death anywhere from 3 p.m. on 6/16 to 3 p.m. on 6/17. Assuming the reliability of the investigative information I have been provided with, the time window narrows, and it is unlikely that death would have taken place prior to 1:30 a.m. on 6/17. In light of the fact that he still had remnants of a dinner type meal in his stomach, that the assault took place while he was in bed, and that he was still wearing his bed clothes, it is most likely that the death took place in the morning hours of 6/17 between 1: 30 a.m. and the time at which he would have normally arisen."

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The probable cause affidavit that outlines the state's case has been sealed since Parks' arrest in December of 2009, but Kincaide says Parks killed 62 year-old Millstein, a Mountain Home urologist, in his home at 1707 Stephen Court on June 17, 2006, for financial gain and that the murder was premeditated.

Millstein was married to Lois Jane Parks (Gary's mother) at the time of his murder, however the couple were estranged and she lived in Little Rock at the time his death.
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Authorities in Mountain Home and Arkansas State Police investigated the case for three and a half years before Parks was arrested and say other arrests connected to Millstein's murder are possible. In June of 2008, Mountain Home police chief Cary Manuel said authorities were interested in two suspects for Millstein's murder and that both were related to him.

If convicted of capital murder, there are only two sentences available for Parks are life without parole or the death penalty.

Sailor With Ties To The Ozarks Charged With Felony Child Abuse Following Death Of Girlfriend's Child:

2012-01-14T22:31:00.002-06:00

Micha Patterson could face murder charges for the death of girlfriend's baby

A serviceman from the Ozarks has been charged with felony child abuse and neglect following the death of his girlfriend's infant daughter.

Micah Patterson, 22, of Seymour, who is serving in the Navy, was babysitting the four-month-old girl Tuesday in Virginia Beach, VA when when a 9-1-1 call was made about 8 p.m. January 10th to report the baby was not breathing.

Doctors say little Aubry Hannsz died from injuries, that doctors say are consistent with abuse, the following day at a local hospital.

Patterson enlisted on Sept. 27, 2007, and has been assigned to the Public Safety Staff at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek – Fort Story since Nov. 25, according to Navy Personnel Command.

Patterson, who is being held without bond at the Virginia Beach Correctional Center, has not been charged with murder at this point, but those charges could come following reports from medical examiners.

Kimberling City Man Pleads Guilty To Drug Charges, Involuntary Manslaughter Charges Won't Stick:

2012-01-13T11:02:00.002-06:00

Dennis Horn has been placed on probation following the drug death's of his friends (mug shot SCSO)

A fifty year-old man from Kimberling City has been placed on five years probation after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance.

Stone County Prosecutor Matt Selby says his office could never prove that Dennis Horn, who had a valid prescription for Fetanyl, provided the drugs that killed 45 year-old Robert Murray, of Kimberling City, and 46 year-old Mark Marshal of Sparta on September 27, 2011.

Murray and Marshal died after extracting the Fetynal from a patch and cooking it with apple juice then injecting the drug mixture.

A friend of the dead men, Todd Rogers, told investigators that his friends had purchased Lorcet from Horn, who did NOT have a valid prescription for that controlled drug, the day before they overdosed.

Branson Man Charged With Assault After Allegedly Stabbing Wife:

2012-01-12T15:18:00.000-06:00

Harry Menke Jr. is facing several felony charges connected to an alleged domestic assault (mug shot TCSO)

A man from Branson has been charged with kidnapping, first-degree domestic assault with serious injury and armed criminal action after allegedly stabbing his wife during a fight yesterday (01-11-11).

According to the probable cause statement, Harry Menke Jr., 52, told authorities that after he had returned home from looking for a job his wife, Heather, started yelling at him and slapped him in the face. Menke told the arresting officer that he grabbed a steak knife and threw it at his wife not expecting it to "stick in her but it did."

He told cops that he pulled the phone out of the wall and refused to let his wife leave the residence because after twelve years of being belittled by his wife he wanted her to "have a taste of her own medicine."

Menke is being held in the Taney County jail on $100,000 bond.

Hollister Man Charged With Sodomy After Attack On Teenaged Boy In WalMart Bathroom:

2012-01-11T18:19:00.003-06:00

Kyle Wayne Larue has bonded out of jail

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A man who lists home addresses in Hollister and Fort Smith, Arkansas was charged with statutory sodomy after allegedly assaulting a 15 year-old boy in the bathroom at the Wal-Mart in Branson West.

Stone County Prosecutor Matt Selby says Kyle Wayne Larue, 53, was allegedly posing as a 15 year-old named "Jeremy" on mbuzzy.com and lured the teen to the bathroom where the victim was forced to perform oral sex on Larue.

The teen told authorities that after he was sexually assaulted he followed Larue to his vehicle that had distinctive black tribal artwork on the side of the truck, but got out when Larue started the vehicle.

Using search programs provided to law enforcement by cell phone companies, an emergency trace on the phone and video surveillance from multiple sources, Larue was tracked to his residence in Hollister and arrested.

He was released after posting $15,000 bond and online court records do not show an arraignment date at this time.

Pickle Busted On Taney County Rape Warrant In Tennessee:

2012-01-06T20:43:00.002-06:00

Lonnie Pickle is in the Hamilton, TN jail pending extradition to MO

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A man who allegedly raped a woman in Taney County last summer is behind bars in Tennessee.

Chattanooga police received information from authorities in Merriam Woods and Taney County sheriff's investigators that Lonnie Pickle, 32, formally of Merriam Woods, was working for Covenant Transportation and arrested him at his workplace on Thursday (01-05-12.)

Charges were filed against Pickle on November 30, 2011, following an investigation in which a woman, who had a prior relationship with Pickle, told investigators that he raped her last July.

Taney County Prosecutor Jeff Merrell, who was reached at home, says he will release more information on the case on Monday.

Pickle is being held without bond in the Hamilton County jail pending extradition to Taney County.

Utah Man Pleads Guilty To Hauling Ex-Girlfriends Dead Body To Branson:

2012-01-06T18:45:00.057-06:00

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A Utah man who pleaded guilty last month to federal kidnapping has pleaded guilty to hauling the woman's dead body to Branson.

Michael Doyel, 51, pleaded guilty to murdering 50 year-old Deborah Jones today (01-06-12) and was sentenced to 15 years in a Utah prison. Doyel will first have to serve his 30 year federal sentence before the state sentence.

Deborah Jones was a nurse

Doyel strangled Jones after she ended their relationship. Investigators found her body hidden in a plastic storage container in the backseat of her car outside of the 76 Inn.

Doyel, who at one time was declared incompetent to stand trial, kidnapped another woman, Patricia Murray, of West Valley City, Utah, and brought her with him to Branson. During on proceeding in federal court in Salt Lake City, Doyel continuously looked around the room and told the judge that Jones was still alive and would be there any minute.

Authorities Won't Name Person Of Interest In Natzke's Murder:

2012-01-05T12:47:00.006-06:00

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Authorities in Garland County Arkansas say they have a person of interest in the murder of a police dispatcher and mother of three whose remains were found in dense woods near a pond on New Year's Eve.

Dawna Natzke was last seen leaving a holiday party with her boyfriend, Kevin Duck, 28, on December 21. Natzke's son reported his mom missing two days later when she didn't show up for her shift at the Hot Springs Village Police Department.

A friend of Natzke's allegedly witnessed Duck shoving or pushing Natzke as the couple were leaving the party on Wednesday December 21st. The friend texted Natzke, who is said to have left her purse at the party, around 8 a.m. Thursday (12-22-11) morning and said she was concerned about how she had seen Kevin treating Dawna.

Natzke's friend, Patty Hatthaway, contacted a neighbor of the murdered woman and asked them to check on Natzke after allegedly receiving a "strange text" back saying something along the lines of, "He didn't shove me. I took a pain pill and stumbled."

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UPDATE 01-05-12 @ 10:00 p.m.:

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Hatthaway told the AP in an interview the text said, “He didn’t push me i fell and he caught me. I had taken a pain pill and was tour up .” Hathaway says she doesn’t believe that message came from Natzke because, “I know she knows how to spell. She only texts me if she was at work,” Hathaway said. “Otherwise, she’d always, always call me.”

A forest service employee discovered the charred remains of Natzke's "burned out" vehicle in the Ouachita National Forest on Thursday (12-22-11), however it wasn't reported to Hot Springs Village authorities until Christmas Eve.

On New Years Eve close to 400 volunteers showed up at Jessieville High School to search for Natzke. About 45 minutes into the search her body was discovered near a pond about 5.5 miles from where her torched car was discovered.

Garland County Sheriff's Lt. James "Corky" Martin says, "Although we are still awaiting autopsy results from the Arkansas State Crime Lab, we do have enough preliminary information to announce that we are investigating this case as a homicide and we do have a person of interest. At this point we are not releasing any names."

Martin says they don't want to release the cause of death, "For reasons detrimental to the case, once we do get the results back from the lab, we will not be able to release the manor or cause of death, nor any other particulars related to the manor or cause."

~WARNING SEXUALLY GRAPHIC~Fourth Man Pleads Guilty In Sex Slave Case Involving Mentally Challenged Woman:

2012-01-05T12:45:00.071-06:00

Michael A. Stokes (mug shot)

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A Lebanon man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in the sex trafficking of a young, mentally deficient woman.

Michael A. Stokes, 63, is among a group of six people who coerced the woman into being a sex slave for several years while she was tortured in a trailer in a wooded area in Lebanon.
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The abuse of the woman was uncovered after she was taken to a hosptial near death after being electrocuted during a torture session in February of 2009.

Some of the abuse took place inside this trailer

Stokes, also known as The Rodent, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to his role in a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. Stokes’ guilty plea marks the fourth and final person in this case to be convicted under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

Stokes became familiar with the female victim (FV) in 2006 when he received pictures of her over the Internet, allegedly from her "master" Edward Bagley, in which she was naked with whip marks over her body. Stokes was told that the victim was a slave for “life” who was tortured for hours at a time and was required to do “everything and anything” she was told.

Edward Bagley (mug shot LCSO)

After a few weeks of chatting online, the plea agreement says, a co-conspirator brought the victim to Stokes’ house so she could do a “demo” for him. When they arrived at Stokes’ home, bringing a duffle bag of torture devices with them, FV was instructed to “put on a show for us.” FV was naked, wearing only dog collars and ankle collars with locks. Stokes was asked whether he wanted to have sex with her. Stokes said “yes” and he had sex with FV.

Stokes was stunned that “someone had that much control over someone” and “had never seen anything like it.”

Stokes began visiting the home where FV was being held. During his first visit, he was shown a photo of FV’s vaginal opening sewn shut and told this was done to demonstrate “what was expected of her.” FV was present for these statements and remained silent. FV never talked back or spoke up. FV never offered herself to Stokes and only acted on command.

It was obvious that FV was undereducated and had slower mental functioning. Stokes believed she had the educational level of a 13-year-old. FV did not have the normal skills of a 20-year-old woman.

Stokes visited the homne eight to 12 times. During these visits, he would receive sexual acts or be allowed to watch or participate in torturing FV. When he visited he brought steaks, hamburgers, jackets, personalized playing cards, lighters, cigarettes, and cash. Among other things, he witnessed FV being tortured with a crank phone, with electricity shot through devices clamped to her vaginal and anal openings.

Stokes began assisting in promoting FV at the strip clubs. Stokes took photos of FV around to the clubs to promote her there. Stokes gave $1,000 so that FV could be taken for a sexual bondage photo shoot in California for Taboo magazine. Stokes then took a copy of the magazine to promote her at the clubs. The photos in Taboo magazine were extremely mild and did not depict any of the cruel sessions Stokes had witnessed at the residence.

Issue of Taboo with victim

In 2009, Stokes was warned that there was an FBI investigation involving his conduct with FV. Stokes went on his computer and deleted hundreds of photos, his contacts with other females online, pictures of FV that he saved, and destroyed his copies of Taboo magazine and the sexual devices that he had acquired.

Under federal statutes, Stokes is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution.

Stokes is the fourth defendant in this human trafficking case to plead guilty.

Co-defendant Bradley Cook, also known as PutHer2GoodUse, 33, of Kirkwood, pleaded guilty on Dec. 20, 2011, for his role in a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.

Bradley Cook (mug shot)

From 2006 to 2009, Cook watched the victim being sexually abused and tortured in live online sessions and as depicted in photos and videos that he downloaded from the Internet. Cook admitted that he traveled to Lebanon on multiple occasions during that time to engage in sessions of sexual acts and torture with the victim. In exchange, Cook paid the victim for these sessions with such items as computer hard drives that contained images and videos of bondage, domination, sadism and masochism, which he had downloaded from the Internet.

Cook also admitted he was aware of other men who engaged in sexual acts and torture with the victim. He witnessed the victim being whipped and locked in a dog cage, as well as being tied up and shocked with multiple electrical devices. Cook described the abuse suffered by the victim as the most extreme he had ever seen.

In a binding plea agreement, the government and Cook jointly recommend to the court a set sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole. Cook must also pay restitution to the victim. In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, the court may impose a term of supervised release up to life. Cook must also forfeit to the government the computer media he used to commit the offense.

Co-defendant Dennis Henry, 51, of Wheatland, formerly the postmaster of Nevada, Mo., pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. Henry also pleaded guilty to transporting the victim across state lines for sexual activity.

Dennis Henry (mug shot)

Henry admitted he engaged in sex with the victim, and participated in torture sessions with FV that would last for hours. Henry saw pictures of FV's vagina sewn shut, which he was told was a form of punishment. Henry also admitted that he visited FV at a strip club in Lebanon where she was forced to work.

Under federal statutes, Henry is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $500,000 and an order of restitution.

Co-defendant James Noel, 45, of Springfield, also pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. Noel admitted he was one of the customers who sexually abused and tortured FV. Noel watched the victim being tortured and sometimes operated torture devices himself beginning in 2006, when she was approximately 20 years old. For example, Noel knew that FV hated being electrocuted with a crank phone (which was wired inside FV's vaginal and anal openings and to her toes), which he described as extremely painful, but he used it on her anyway.

James Noel (mug shot SCCO)

Under federal statutes, Noel is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution.

The trials for Edward Bagley and his wife, Marilyn, who is also facing charges connected to this case, is scheduled to begin on February 13, 2012.

This case was investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Human Trafficking Rescue Project.

Councilman Nick Ibarra Resigns Following Holiday Arrest:

2012-01-04T16:14:00.006-06:00

Nick Ibarra (mug shot GCSO)

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Springfield Zone 1 Councilman Nick Ibarra has resigned from city council effective immediately after being charged last weekend with felony unlawful use of a weapon.

Ibarra, 32, who was elected to a four year term in 2009, represented northwest Springfield.

Ibarra was arrested and charged following a domestic disturbance at his home late Sunday (01-01-12) afternoon in which he allegedly pointed a loaded handgun at himself and at his wife....threatening to kill himself and his wife.

In Ibarra's resignation letter to Mayor Jim O'Neal he writes, "I have come to the recognition that I am in no position to further procrastinate dealing with the issues of my personal life that are at the forefront, as well as with issues as an individual that I have merely tried to band-aid for many years now. I want to address these issues; I need to address these issues; and I plan to address these issues. At this time, to best serve the constituents, I believe it is necessary that I remove myself from my current duties and allow the council to find someone that is currently more capable than I am to fulfill the position of Zone 1 Councilman."

According to court records, he had been drinking before his latest brush with the law. Alcohol was also allegedly involved in a "road rage" incident on Thanksgiving day in which two men were injured. That incident is still under investigation by the Missouri Highway Patrol.

It appears that current city council members will likely ask constituents in Zone 1 interested in serving the remainder of the two years left in Ibarra's term to submit applications and then interview those interested and vote amongst themselves to appoint one of the applicants.

Mountain Home Woman Pleads Guilty To Douglas County Roadside Park Murder:

2012-01-04T15:35:00.001-06:00

April Quick (mug shot DCSO)

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A woman from Mountain Home, Arkansas has pleaded guilty to amended charges of second-degree murder for the ambush murder of her children's father.

Douglas County Prosecutor Roger Wall says April D. Quick, 33, and a friend of hers, Aimee L. Herring, shot and stabbed forty-two year-old Phillip Taylor to death at a roadside park between Ava and Mansfield on September 10, 2010, because "he had written a letter to April and demanded to see his children. He thought he was going to see his children when they murdered him."

Per the plea agreement, Quick also pleaded guilty to armed criminal action. Quick was originally charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and robbery. As part of the plea agreement, the robbery charge was dismissed.

Herring, 30, also of Mountain Home, pleaded guilty last year to amended charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action for her part in Taylor's murder and was sentenced to fifteen years behind bars.
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Aimee Herring (mug shot MDOC)

Quick is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3rd in Douglas County.

City ~UPDATED~Councilman Nick Ibarra In Greene County Jail, Now Charged With Felony:

2012-01-01T19:38:00.005-06:00

Councilman Nick Ibarra is jailed tonight (mug shot GCSO)

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Springfield City Councilman Nicholas "Nick" Ibarra is in the Greene County jail on a 24 hour investigative hold after police were called to Ibarra's residence about 4 p.m. today (1-1-12) in response to a domestic disturbance.

Springfield police Lt. Roger Moore says at the conclusion of the investigation Ibarra was arrested on probable cause of felony unlawful use of a weapon.

On Thanksgiving Ibarra was the center of an investigation involving an alleged drunk driving and road rage incident in which two men were injured. The Missouri Highway Patrol is investigating the incident and no charges have been filed related to that case.

UPDATE 01-02-12:

Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson charged Ibarra today (01-02-12) with felony unlawful use of a weapon.

According to court documents, Ibarra allegedly threatened to kill himself and his wife with a handgun yesterday afternoon (01-01-12) before police were called. " KMI (Ibarra's wife) told Ibarra that she was going to leave and he retrieved a handgun from the living room coffee table. Ibarra inserted the magazine in the handgun and pulled the slide back, cycling a round into the gun's chamber. KMI asked Ibarra if he was going to shoot her and he stated, No, I'm going to kill myself. Ibarra raised the gun barrel up to his temple, then placed the barrel in his mouth. "

As KMI was retrieving personal items from the laundry room, "Ibarra pointed the gun at her, then back at him. KMI told Ibarra she would call 911 if he didn't put the gun away and he stated, Then you are going to die."

Court documents say that as Ibarra's wife tried to persuade him to put the gun away he said, "One of us is going to die today; I need to contemplate who it is going to be." Ibarra then demanded his wife give him her cell phone but she refused.

It is alleged that Ibarra then gave his wife to the count of three to turn over her phone or, "he would shoot her in the foot." As the count wound down, "Ibarra approached his wife in the bathroom and pointed the gun at her feet."

Ibarra then "exited the bathroom, unloaded the gun and put it on a nightstand. KMI got the gun, walked back into the bathroom, shut the door, and called 911."

When officers responded to the 911 call they found a Glock model 19 handgun on the bathroom floor and an unfired 9mm Luger bullet on the floor to the left of the front door and a second unfired bullet under the Christmas tree in the living room.

KMI showed one of the responding officer's a text message she had received earlier from Ibarra that said, "I never thght I would be in a world where I seriously contmlate making 10 bullets 8. But I also never thght u would do this either."

When the officers spoke to Ibarra, "he said he was in an argument with KMI and denied having or pointing the gun at her. Ibarra was arrested and taken to jail.

After being read his Miranda rights Ibarra allegedly, "admitted to having the firearm but denied pointing or threatening KMI with it." Ibarra said he was "mad and admitted sending KMI the text message."

His bond has been set at $25,000 and the decision on whether Ibarra, who was elected to a four year term in 2009, remains on city council at this point lies with Ibarra himself.

The moral turpitude clause in the city charter would only apply in the case of a conviction and it can sometime take up to two years for a case like this to make its way through the court system.
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The charging document filed with the probable cause statement asked for the following stipulations:

“Defendant threatened wife with shooting prior to incident via text then threatened to kill himself or her in person while displaying a loaded handgun and pointing gun at himself and her.

“Defendant had been drinking and has a recent history of unpredictable and dangerous behavior while drinking. Defendant presents a threat to himself, to the victim and to members of the community.

“Defendant committed this offense knowing he is currently under investigation for a road rage type incident by the Springfield Police Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol.”

In addition to standard bond conditions, if freed Ibarra will be:

• Prohibited from possessing any firearms or living in a resident where firearms are present;

• Prohibited from possessing or consuming alochol or being on the premises anywhere alcohol is the primary item for sale;

• Required to wear an alcohol monitoring ankle bracelet;

• Prohibited from contacting his wife.

Arrest Made In Weekend Murder Of Republic Teen/Including PC:

2012-01-01T17:33:00.008-06:00

Gabriel Roche is charged with first-degree murder (mug shot GCSO)

An eighteen year-old man is facing first-degree murder charges in connection to the weekend death of another teen from Republic.

Gabriel Luke Roche was booked into the Greene County jail about 10 hours after a passerby called authorities about 7:30 a.m. Saturday (12-31) after discovering the body of 17 year-old Weston Tyler North lying in a ditch in the area of FR 178, east of Hwy. ZZ. North had been stabbed multiple times and his throat was slit, according to court records.

The area where North's body was found is southeast of Republic High School and northeast of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield.

Weston Tyler North (facebook)

According to the probable cause statement used as the basis for the charges, "Roche admitted to being with Michael Roche [his brother] as well as a third subject as they drove Weston North from the Wal-Mart in Republic, Missouri to the location where he was later found deceased. He stated he went there with the purpose to kill Weston North. He stated he wanted to kill North because he believed North was a “snitch”, informing Law Enforcement of criminal activity and he wanted his brother to see someone get killed.

Greene County Sgt. Curtis Hunt writes, "Gabriel Luke Roche detailed how he killed Weston North which matched the injuries found on North. He detailed how he first stabbed North with a knife in the chest through the sternum. After North ran from him and he chased after him he said he stabbed North in the back and side. He said North begged for his life and he then cut his throat. The injuries sustained by North were consistent with the injuries Gabriel stated he inflicted on him."

Sgt. J. Stanley interviewed Michael Roche who corroborated the Gabriel's statement, "stating his brother Gabriel stabbed North in the chest, chased after North who begged for his life, and cut his throat. Michael Roche indicated that he thought they were walking from the van to a location to look for some of Weston’s belongings but in hindsight should have realized what his brother Gabriel was going to do."

According to online court records, a stepparent of Gabriel Roche filed for an order of protection against the teen in May and in August he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft and assault and was sentenced to two years unsupervised probation, with 180 days of jail time suspended.

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Gabriel Roche is being held without bond (because a motion to revoke his bond has been filed with the court,) in the Greene County jail. A check of an online census of inmates currently incarcerated in the Greene County jail does not show Michael Roche in the jail at this time. The third unidentified person, whom sources say is E. B., was held on a 24 hour investigative hold and released after charges weren't filed against her.
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Sheriff Jim Arnott says he is in the process of releasing additional information concerning North's murder and will get back to me shortly.
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Probable Cause Statement Against Gabriel Luke Roche:

Date: January 1, 2012 Case #: 1959911

I, Sgt. Curtis Hunt, knowing that false statements on this form are punishable by law, state that the facts contained herein are true.

1. I have probable cause to believe that on December 31, 2011, near 6121 W. Farm Road 178, Republic, Greene County, Missouri, Gabriel Luke Roche; DOB: 07/09/1993, SSN: committed one or more criminal offenses.

2. The facts supporting this belief are as follows:

On December 31, 2011 at about 0728 hours a motorist called Greene County Dispatch to report a male subject was observed lying in a ditch on Farm Road 178 near State Highway ZZ near Republic, Missouri a location in Greene County. The motorist believed the subject appeared to be deceased. Upon arrival of Greene County Deputies and First Responders the male subject was located and confirmed to be deceased.

Greene County Sheriffs Deputy Teeling was the first Law Enforcement Officer to arrive on the scene. He observed the deceased male subject with an apparent laceration to the subject’s throat.

The deceased male subject was later identified as Weston T. North (DOB: 10/13/1994) who lived in the city of Republic, Missouri. Dr. Anderson with the Greene County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the manner of death to Weston North was by homicide. The cause of death was from multiple stab wounds.

Detectives discovered Weston North associated with Gabriel Luke Roche and Michael Roche, Gabriel’s brother. North was last seen in the company of Michael Roche the previous evening. Greene County Sheriffs Deputies received information Gabriel and Michael were looking for someone to pick them up and were on foot in the Springfield area. They were located along with a third subject walking on foot at Lynn and Franklin, Springfield, Missouri.

Post Miranda warning Gabriel Luke Roche admitted to being with Michael Roche as well as a third subject as they drove Weston North from the Wal-Mart in Republic, Missouri to the location where he was later found deceased. He stated he went there with the purpose to kill Weston North. He stated he wanted to kill North because he believed North was a “snitch”, informing Law Enforcement of criminal activity and he wanted his brother to see someone get killed.

Gabriel Luke Roche detailed how he killed Weston North which matched the injuries found on North. He detailed how he first stabbed North with a knife in the chest through the sternum. After North ran from him and he chased after him he said he stabbed North in the back and side. He said North begged for his life and he then cut his throat. The injuries sustained by North were consistent with the injuries Gabriel stated he inflicted on him.

The above facts and information are true to the best of my information and belief.

~UPDATED~Body Recovered In Search For Missing Police Dispatcher Confirmed To Be Dawna Natzke:

2011-12-31T10:38:00.023-06:00

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A body was recovered this morning (12-31) during an organized search near Jessieville, Arkansas for a missing police dispatcher.

Laroy Cornett, the Public Safety Director for Hot Springs Village, says a body believed to be that of Dawna Smith-Natzke was found about 5 miles from where the charred remains of Natzke's vehicle were found last week. "We're not entirely certain that it is our missing employee, but there is only one missing persons case in this area. We are certainly going on the assumption that it is Mrs. Natzke."

Over 300 volunteers were involved in the search for Natzke.
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Cornett, who was Natzke's boss, says the body was found in Garland County and his department will assist deputies there in their investigation. "We're handling it as a homicide but no one has been charged and there is no one in custody at this time in connection with Mrs. Natzke's disappearance."
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The remains were found down this desolate road

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Lt. James "Corky" Martin with the Garland County Sheriff's Office says his agency hasn't been involved in the investigation into Natzke's disappearance other than to aid in the search near where Natzke's vehicle was found last week. "We're starting from scratch. We offered assistance early in the investigation but all we were asked to do was aid in the search. Our investigation began today."

Dawna's body was found near the above pond

Conett says he has not seen the body and he does not know if there were any visible wounds like gunshots or stab wounds to the body that was recovered near a pond about 9:00 this morning.

Natzke went missing after attending a holiday party with her mother and boyfriend last Wednesday (12-21) within the gated community of Hot Springs Village. Sources say that Natzke left her purse when she left the party.
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Natzke's live-in boyfriend, Kevin C. Duck, 28, told investigators that Natzke was watching television when he went to bed around 11:00 p.m.

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Dawna was not reported missing until Friday morning around 6 a.m. after her son called police and she did not show up for her scheduled shift at the department. Sources say she had taken a vacation day for the day after she went missing was to end the relationship with Kevin Duck.
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Duck allegedly told authorities he has no idea how Dawna went missing or why her car was burned in the Ouachita National Forest. Duck has family that live not far from where the body was recovered.

Sources say Duck's brother and sister-in-law are in hiding because they are afraid of Duck, who allegedly told them, "If I go down for this you are too."
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The Hinky Meter is reporting that a woman who was walking home from another party near the home of Scott Randall, the general manager of HSV and at whose house the holiday party that Natzke was last scene, heard a scream followed by silence between 10:30 and 11:00 p.m. on the last night Natzke was last seen alive....and that Duck's father allegedly told investigators last week to look for the missing woman near the pond.

By all accounts, Natzke, who had separated from her husband in April, was a loyal and caring woman who donated one of her kidney's to her father to save his life.

According to Cornett, Natzke's house was searched, but not sealed, by investigators and no one has been living in the house since Natzke's disappearance. So, who was the "family member" the neighbor talked with when they went to check on Dawna after the friend called them about receiving a "strange text" message from the missing woman. "Her children are with their father," said Cornett. "Her children are with their father."

Lt. Martin, who would not comment on injuries to the remains found this morning, says he believes it will be sometime next week before the remains are identified. "It sometimes takes between three days to a month for an identification. I don't think it will take that long in this case." However, with it being a holiday weekend Martin says it could be at least Tuesday before the crime lab retrieves the remains.

Natzke's boss says, "We've tried to preserve as much evidence as possible for a prosecutable case."

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UPDATE 01-03-12:

Authorities say forensic medical examiners have confirmed that the body that was recovered on Saturday (12-31-11) is that of Dawna Natzke.
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NEWS RELEASE FROM GARLAND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE 12-31-11 @ 5:29 p.m.:

I just wanted to follow up with everyone and give a recap of what we covered earlier and where we are now.

At approximately 9:20 this morning the Garland County Sheriff’s Department was notified that the remains of a deceased female had been located near the intersection of Main Haul Road and Purdue Trail, in Garland County. This location is approximately 5.5 miles from where the burned car belonging to Dawna Natzke was discovered and where law enforcement searched on Wednesday and Thursday.

The remains were located by a member of a search group that had been formed by, and comprised of, approximately 400 community volunteers. These dedicated volunteers had searched for nearly an hour and a half before locating the remains and are to be applauded for their efforts and assistance.

The remains are of a female, who we have not been able to identity, and will be sent to the crime lab for identification as well as determination of cause and a possible time of death.

At this point, foul play is suspected in the death but there are no known suspects. No other details relating to the case, or remains, are being released right now, but I will update you periodically as the investigation continues.

Lt. James "Corky" Martin
Garland County Sheriff's Office

~UPDATED~Greene County Authorities Investigating Homicide Of Teen Found In Ditch In Republic:

2011-12-31T09:47:00.011-06:00

Weston T. North (facebook)

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Authorities in Greene County have launched a homicide investigation following the discovery of a 17 year-old found in a ditch early this morning in Republic.

A passerby called authorities after discovering the body of Weston Tyler North, of Republic, in the area of FR 178, east of Hwy. ZZ, around 7:30 a.m - The area is southeast of Republic High School and northeast of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield.
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Crime scene investigators scour for clues in Weston North's homicide (courtesy KOLR/KOZL)

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"This is the fifth homicide for Greene County and the only year that I know of, and that the sheriff could recall earlier, that we've had this many homicides, in a single year, in the outskirts, out in the county territory," said Maj. Corcoran.
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Greene County Captain Jim Farrell say detectives are interviewing several subjects associated with North. If you have any information regarding the homicide of Weston North, please call 911 or the Greene County Sheriff’s Office at 417 868-4040.

UPDATE 01-01-12:

Arrest Made In Weekend Murder Of Republic Teen:

Gabriel Roche is charged with first-degree murder (mug shot GCSO)

An eighteen year-old man is facing first-degree murder charges in connection to the weekend death of another teen from Republic.

Gabriel L. Roche was booked into the Greene County jail about 10 hours after a passerby called authorities about 7:30 a.m. Saturday (12-31) discovering the body of Weston Tyler North, of Republic, lying in a ditch in the area of FR 178, east of Hwy. ZZ.

The area where North's body was found is southeast of Republic High School and northeast of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield.

Weston Tyler North (facebook)

Sheriff Jim Arnott says he is in the process of releasing additional information concerning North's murder and will get back to me shortly.

Third Infant In Less Than A Month Sick From Bacteria Linked To Baby Formula:

2011-12-28T10:51:00.003-06:00

A third infant in a month has become ill after being fed baby formula, according to health officials in Oklahoma.

The latest child to be infected with Cronobacter sakazakii from Tulsa County, as well as an Illinois child who was stricken with the rare bacteria and hospitalized in Missouri, are still recovering. Ten-day-old Avery Cornett, from Lebanon, died from the deadly bacteria.

Little Avery Cornett was just 10 days-old when he died

Enfamil Premium Newborn was pulled from store shelves by several national retailers last week following news of Cornett's death. On Christmas day Mead Johonson, the company that makes Enfamil, says internal test results showed no evidence of the bacteria in the same batch of product that is being evaluated by U.S. regulators.

The child affected in Oklahoma was NOT fed Enfamil, according to published reports.

The rod-shaped bacteria that killed Cornett has infected at least 120 infants worldwide since 1958, public-health researchers say. The potential for the bacteria to infect infants through powdered baby formula has only been known since the 1980s, according to Kieran Jordan, a microbiologist at the Moorepark Food Research Centre of Ireland’s Agriculture and Food Development Authority. Jordans says Cronobacter can grow in powdered formula because it is well adapted at surviving in very dry environments.

The CDC and local health officials in Lebanon are awaiting lab results from the powdered formula little Avery's parents used and the distilled water used to prepare it.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokeswoman said it's not clear if the three cases are connected.

~UPDATED~Burned Car Found in National Forest Belongs to Missing Hot Springs Village Police Dispatcher:

2011-12-27T12:59:00.035-06:00

Dawna Natzke is missing

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Authorities in Hot Springs, Arkansas are searching for a police dispatcher who has now been missing a week.
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Forty six year-old Dawna Natzke was last seen with her boyfriend leaving a Christmas party that was held at Property Owners Association general manager Scott Randall's home within the gated community of Hot Springs Village about 10:30 p.m. last Wednesday (12-21.)
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The privately owned gated community, with its own private police force which employs approximately thirty officers, is home to about 12,000 residents.

Natzke's son reported his mother missing about 6 a.m. Friday morning. That was about the same time her shift was to begin at the Hot Springs Village Police Department. Fellow employees became alarmed when Natzke, who has been employed by the department for the last seven years, failed to show up for her shift. "She is a conscientious employee," said Public Safety director Laroy Cornett.

A U.S Parks Service employee found Natzke's teal 1997 Ford Escort "burned out" off of Highway 298 in the Ouachita National Forest about 11:15 a.m. on Thursday December 22nd. There was no one inside the vehicle. "At that time she hadn't been reported missing," said Cornett.

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A dog team was unsuccessful Monday (12-26) in finding the missing woman when it searched the area near where Natzke's charred car was found. The vehicle has been sent to the Arkansas State Police Crime Lab in hopes that it will aid authorities in their investigation into the woman's disappearance.

Natzke's live-in boyfriend, Kevin Duck, says Natzke was watching T.V. when he went to bed at 11:00 p.m. and he has no idea how she went missing, or why her car was found burned. Natzke's house is within the gated community, according to Cornett.

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Duck told investigators that when he woke up about 7:30 a.m. Thursday (12-22) he assumed Natzke had gone to work. However, she had taken a vacation day for Thursday and was not due to report to work until 6 a.m. on Friday.

A friend of Natzke's told investigators they received a text message from Dawna about 8:00 a.m. Thursday (12-22) stating that she was "Okay....but the style and verbage used was not consistent with the way Dawna sent text messages," said Director Cornett's assistant, Eloise Wiegand."
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According to a timeline of events provided by Cornett, the "friend who had received strange text message called neighbor of Mrs. Natzke about 8:30 p.m. Neighbor went to Mrs. Natzke's home and talked to family member. No sense of alarm at that time."
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At 6:38 a.m. Friday (12-23) morning a BOLO was issued for Natzke and her vehicle. Cornett says that numerous interviews were conducted by investigators Friday and Saturday and that Natzke's vehicle was reported "located" at 10:35 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
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When asked about some alleged scratches and abrasions to Duck's body that appeared after Natzke's disappearance- Cornett said, "I've not been made aware of any. We have interviewed a number of people, including him, in an attempt to develop leads in our missing colleagues disappearance."

Director Cornett says rumors that officers suspended their search for the missing mother of three on Friday so officers could spend the holidays with their families "are absolutely false." "One of my investigators canceled a prepaid vacation to look for her over the holiday weekend."

According to Patty Hathaway, Natzke's best friend, authorities told her there has been no activity on Natzke's cell phone or credit cards in the last week.

"Her disappearance is suspicious. We really don't have an identifiable crime scene and can't say for certain at this time that a crime has been committed. We're covering all our bases so if our worst fears are realized we can bring it to a successful prosecution," said Cornett.
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Natzke is 5'6" with brown hair with blonde highlights and brown eyes. If you have any information about her disappearance you're asked to call the Hot Springs Village police at 501-922-0011.

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12-27-11:

Calls made to speak to someone Tuesday at the Hot Springs Village police department regarding Natzke's disappearance were not returned. A spokeswoman for the department said, "We expect to have a news release out tomorrow (12-28-11) about 2 p.m."
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12-29-11:

Searchers on foot, horseback and helicopter combed through dense woods in western Arkansas today looking for any signs of Natzke, who disappeared more than a week ago.

Hot Springs Village sits in two counties, Saline and Garland. Sheriff's offices from both counties are now assisting Village police in the investigation into Natzke's disappearance, according to Cornett.

Cornett says nothing new was turned up by searchers today, and workers are checking ravines and culverts for Natzke in the village.

When asked if they had pinpointed the location from which the "strange text message" was sent from Natzke's phone to a friend last Thursday, Cornett said, "We're diligently working all aspects of this case, Kathee."

Natzke's family says volunteers are needed to help search for the missing woman this weekend. A community search will get underway at 8 a.m. Saturday (12-31) at Jessieville School.
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12-31-11:
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Body Recovered In Search For Missing Police Dispatcher:

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A body was recovered this morning (12-31) during an organized search near Jessieville, Arkansas for a missing police dispatcher.

Laroy Cornett, the Public Safety Director for Hot Springs Village, says a body believed to be that of Dawna Smith-Natzke was found in a pond about 5 miles from where the charred remains of Natzke's vehicle were found last week. "We're not entirely certain that it is our missing employee, but there is only one missing persons case in this area. We are certainly going on the assumption that it is Mrs. Natzke."

Over 300 volunteers were involved in the search for Natzke.
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Cornett says the body was found in Garland County and his department will assist deputies in their investigation. "We're handling it as a homicide but no one has been charged and there is no one in custody at this time in connection with Mrs. Natzke's disappearance."

Conett says he has not seen the body and he does not know if there were any visible wounds like gunshots or stab wounds to the body that was recovered about 9:00 this morning.

Natzke went missing after attending a holiday party with her mother and boyfriend last Wednesday (12-21) within the gated community of Hot Springs Village. Natzke's live-in boyfriend, Kevin C. Duck, 28, told investigators that Natzke was watching television when he went to bed around 11:00 p.m.

Dawna was not reported missing until Friday morning around 6 a.m. after her son called police and she did not show up for her scheduled shift at the department.

Duck allegedly told authorities he has no idea how Dawna went missing or why her car was burned in the Ouachita National Forest. Duck has family that live not far from where the body was recovered.

Sources say Duck's brother and sister-in-law are hiding because Duck allegedly told them, "If I go down for this you are too."

By all accounts, Natzke, who had separated from her husband in April, was a loyal and caring woman who gave one of her kidney's to her father to save his life.

According to Cornett, Natzke's house was searched, but not sealed, by investigators and no one has been living in the house since Natzke's disappearance. So, who was the "family member" the neighbor talked with when they went to check on Dawna after a friend called them about receiving a strange text message from the missing woman. "Her children are with their father," said Cornett.

Natzke's boss says, "We've tried to preserve as much evidence as possible for a prosecutable case."

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TIMELINE PROVIDED BY HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE POLICE IN DAWNA NATZKE DISAPPEARANCE:

Hot Springs Village Police Department Missing Person Case No. 2011004709

Wednesday, 12/21:

7 p.m. Dawna Natzke and boyfriend attend party at Hot Springs Village Property Owners Association General Manager, Scott Randall's home.

10:30 to 11 p.m. Mrs. Natzke and boyfriend seen leaving party together.

11 p.m. Boyfriend reports he and Mrs. Natzke went home. He went to bed; she was watching T.V.

Thursday, 12/22:

7:30 a.m. Boyfriend reports he awoke and found Mrs. Natzke and her vehicle gone. Assumed she had gone to work. (Note: Mrs. Natzke was not due to work as she had taken a vacation day.)

8:00 a.m. (approx.) Friend of Mrs. Natzke received a strange text message from Mrs. Natzke's cell phone.

11:15 a.m. Mrs. Natzke's vehicle was discovered by U.S. Forest Service employee in a remote area. The vehicle had been been burned.

7 p.m. Boyfriend reported to Hot Springs Village Police Dept. he had not seen Mrs. Natzke all day.

8:30 p.m. Friend who had received strange text message called neighbor of Mrs. Natzke. Neighbor went to Mrs. Natzke's home and talked to family member. No sense of alarm at that time.

Friday, 12/23:

6 a.m. Mrs. Natzke did not report for duty. Son of Mrs. Natzke reported mother had not returned home. Investigation begun.

6:38 a.m. BOLO (Be on the lookout) issued regarding Mrs. Natzke and her vehicle. Search begun. Numerous interviews conducted.

Saturday, 12/24:

Interviews conducted: search for Mrs. Natzke and her vehicle continued.

10:35 p.m. HSVPD notified Mrs. Natzke's vehicle located.

Sunday, 12/25:

Mrs. Natzke's vehicle towed to HSVPD garage.

Monday, 12/26:

Area around spot where Mrs. Natzke's vehicle was found was searched. Search dogs were utilized.

Tuesday, 12/27:

Interviews of potential witnesses continued.

Wednesday, 12/28:

Search dogs and team again being utilized in area where car was recovered.

Mrs. Natzke's vehicle being processed by the Arkansas State Crime Lab.

Second Child Sick From Possible Tainted Baby Formula:

2011-12-22T15:14:00.004-06:00

It appears that little Avery Cornett was the second baby within two weeks who became ill after ingesting baby formula.

The first infant to become sick was from Illinois, but treated at a Missouri hospital. Since that baby is a resident of Illinois, that state's health department is in charge of the investigation there. That baby is still hospitalized, according to health officials in Illinois.

Avery Cornett was born healthy at six pounds nine ounces, but about a week after his birth he was rushed to St. John's hospital in Lebanon after appearing lethargic and acting like he had a stomach ache.

He was transferred to St. John's in Springfield, where he died on Sunday after being taken off of life support. While little Avery was being treated it was discovered he had contracted cronobacter sakazakii. The rare bacterial infection, which is linked to baby formula, causes a fatal infection of the bloodstream and central nervous system.

The infection can be treated with antibiotics, but it's deemed extremely dangerous to babies less than one month old and those born premature. Only two to three cases a year are reported in infants worldwide. In 2008 two cases were reported in New Mexico - one infant died and another suffered severe brain damage. Another infant from Tennessee died in 2001 after being infected.

Now the Centers for Disease Control is assisting officials in Lebanon trace the origin of the bacteria.

Samples of two types of Enfamil (one of which is Enfamil Newborn Premium - the other was a sterile ready to eat liquid) the family bought at Walmart and distilled water that Derek Cornett and Shelby Schrack used to prepare the powdered formula have been sent to the CDC for testing.

Those tests results are expected back in about 10 days.

The Government has not called for a recall on the products and government officials say people using the products should not be alarmed. However, the world's largest retailer has removed the products in question from stores shelves nationwide.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we have removed the remaining product from that store's shelves and we are also notifying all other stores across the country to remove product of the same lot number as well," says Walmart spokesperson Dianna Gee.

Customers who purchased the Enfamil Newborn powdered formula from Walmart can return it to any of the chains stores for a full refund.

Gee says that as soon as Walmart was notified of Avery's death, the company's food safety team contacted Mead Johnson Nutrition, the maker of Enfamil Newborn, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to provide any information needed to aid in the investigation of the newborns death.

The formula in question is packaged in 12.5oz canisters with the date ZP1K7G, and the UPC code 30087510050. The phone number for Mead Johnson is 1-800-BABY-123. Callers are being advised to return the product to the place of purchase. A spokesperson for Mead Johnson says the batch of formula in question was tested for the presence of the deadly bacteria before it left the plant and tests on the product were negative. The company has gone back and reconfirmed that data.

The bacteria in question occur naturally in the environment and in plants such as wheat and rice. But the most worrisome appearances have been in dried milk and powdered formula, which is why manufacturers routinely test for the pathogens.
The product is not exclusive to Wal-Mart and as of Thursday afternoon, Mead Johnson Nutrition had not issued a recall of the product in question.

Gee says everyone at Walmart expresses their deepest condolences to the family of Avery Cornett.

Funeral services for little Avery will be held at 6:30 p.m. today at Holman-Howe Funeral Home in Lebanon.

Man Who Drove From Utah To Branson With Dead Body In Car Pleads Guilty To Kidnapping:

2011-12-21T17:00:00.007-06:00

Michael Doyel was arrested in Branson

A man from Utah who drove almost two-thousand miles to Branson with the dead body of his ex-girlfriend has pleaded guilty in federal court to kidnapping.

Michael Jerome Doyel, 51, was arrested on April 28, 2008, at the 76 Inn after authorities found the body of 50 year-old Deborah Jones, which had been bound with bungee cords at the hands and feet, stuffed inside a 50 gallon plastic bin inside her own vehicle.
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An autopsy determined that Jones, who was a nurse, died of strangulation or positional asphyxiation. She also had blunt force trauma to her head.

Deborah Jones was found dead in Missouri

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Doyel, who at one time was declared incompetent to stand trial, kidnapped another woman, Patricia Murry, of West Valley City, Utah, and brought her with him to Branson. During one proceeding in federal court in Salt Lake City, Doyel continuously looked around the room and told the judge that Jones was still alive and would be there any minute.

Doyel also faces state murder charges connected to Jones' death. As part of the federal plea agreement, Doyel will plead guilty to those charges January 6, 2012, in Salt Lake City.

The victim’s son, Bryan Jones, called Doyel a manipulator who killed his mother when she ended the relationship after discovering Doyel had been lying to her about a number of things.

"This guy had been completely dishonest his whole life," Bryan Jones, 29, told the judge. "This man is scum ... he’s never even offered an apology."
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Jeff Jones, 27, said Doyel has torn the family apart.
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If Doyel is still alive after serving his 30 federal sentence, he will then begin serving his sentence for Jones's murder.

Another Guilty Plea In Sex Slave Case:

2011-12-20T13:07:00.008-06:00

Bradley Joseph Cook (mug shot LCSO)

A man from Kirkwood has pleaded guilty to his part in a sex slave case with ties to the Ozarks.

The case garnered national attention after charged five men were charged with sex trafficking in the fall of 2010 after a woman was taken to a hospital in Lebanon near death after being electrocuted during a torture session in February of 2009.

Bradley Joseph Cook, also known as “PutHer2GoodUse,” 33, pleaded guilty today (12-20-11) before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to commercial sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.

Federal prosecutors say Cook, Edward Bagley, Sr., 43, and Michael Stokes, 62, both of Lebanon, Dennis Henry, 50, of Wheatland, and James Noel, 44, of Springfield, sexually abused and tortured the mentally incapacitated victim for several years.

From 2006 to 2009, Cook watched the victim, who is identified in court documents as “FV” (female victim), being sexually abused and tortured in live online sessions and as depicted in photos and videos that he downloaded from the Internet. Cook admitted that he traveled to Lebanon on multiple occasions during that time to engage in sessions of sexual acts and torture with the victim.

"Slave Master" Edward "Ed" Bagley (mug shot LCSO)

In exchange, Cook paid the victim’s “master”, Bagley, for these sessions with such items as computer hard drives that contained images and videos of bondage, domination, sadism and masochism, which he had downloaded from the Internet.

Cook was aware that the victim was coerced into these sexual acts and that she was unable or did not want to consent to any of these acts.

Cook also admitted he was aware of other men who engaged in sexual acts and torture with the victim.

He said he witnessed the victim, who was tattooed with a bar code to identify her as Bagley's property, being whipped and locked in a dog cage, as well as being tied up and shocked with multiple electrical devices. Cook described the abuse suffered by the victim as the “most extreme” he had ever seen.
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This is the trailer where the victim was tortured

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It was clear to Cook that the victim, who was referred to as “slave,” was “not that smart.” She did not have a good grasp of the English language, according to Cook, was totally dependant, meek, and lacked awareness.

Cook also admitted that he suggested ideas of how to make money off of the victim by selling images of her torture on a paid Web site. He provided new tips and techniques of how to torture and engage in sadistic sexual acts with females.
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Cook is the third defendant in this human trafficking case to plead guilty.
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Dennis Henry (mug shot)

Henry admitted that he engaged in sex with the victim, and participated in torture sessions with FV that would last for hours. Henry saw pictures of FV’s vagina sewn shut, which he was told was a form of punishment. Henry also admitted that he visited FV at a Lebanon strip club where she was forced to work.

Under federal statutes, Henry is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $500,000 and an order of restitution.

James Edward Noel (mug shot SCCSO)

Co-defendant James Noel, 45, of Springfield, also pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. Noel admitted that he was one of the customers who sexually abused and tortured FV. Noel watched the victim being tortured and sometimes operated torture devices himself beginning in 2006, when she was approximately 20 years old.
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Noel told prosecutors that even though he knew that FV hated being electrocuted with a crank phone (which was wired inside FV’s vaginal and anal openings and to her toes), which he described as “extremely painful,” he used it on her anyway.

Bagley, his wife Marilyn, who is facing charges connected to the case and Stokes' trial is scheduled to begin on February 13, 2012.

Michael A. Stokes (mug shot)

In today’s binding plea agreement, the government and Cook jointly recommend to the court a set sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole. Cook must also pay restitution to the victim. When Cook is released from prison the court could impose a lifetime term of supervised release.

~Updated~Could Newborns Death Be Linked To Tainted Baby Formula, WalMart Pulls Formula Nationwide:

2011-12-20T12:10:00.008-06:00

A young couple from Lebanon is grieving the loss of their ten-day old baby this holiday season.

Health Department officials say the baby's death could be linked to tainted baby formula or distilled water used to make it.

Avery Cornett was born healthy at six pounds nine ounces, but about a week after his birth he was rushed to St. John's hospital in Lebanon after appearing lethargic and acting like he had a stomach ache.
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He was transferred to St. John's in Springfield, where he died on Sunday after being taken off of life support. While little Avery was being treated it was discovered he had contracted cronobacter sakazakii. The rare bacterial infection, which is linked to baby formula, causes a fatal infection of the bloodstream and central nervous system.
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Now the Centers for Disease Control is assisting officials in Lebanon trace the origin of the bacteria.

Samples of two types of Enfamil (one of which is Enfamil Newborn Premium - the other a ready to feed sterile liquid) the family bought at Walmart and water from Derek Cornett and Shelby Schrack's home have been sent to the CDC for testing.
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Those tests results are expected back in about 10 days to two weeks.

Government officials say people using the products should not be alarmed, however, the Walmart store in Lebanon has voluntarily pulled the Enfamil formulas off their shelves as a precautionary measure.
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UPDATE 12:15 p.m.:

The world's largest retailer has removed the products in question from stores shelves nationwide.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we have removed the remaining product from that store's shelves and we are also notifying all other stores across the country to remove product of the same lot number as well," says Walmart spokesperson Dianna Gee.

Customer who purchased the Enfamil Newborn powdered formula from Walmart can return it to any of the chains stores for a full refund.

Gee says that as soon as Walmart was notified of Avery's death, the company's food safety team contacted Mead Johnson Nutrition, the maker of Enfamil Newborn, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to provide any information needed to aid in the investigation of the newborns death.

The formula in question is packaged in 12.5oz canisters with the date ZP1K7G, and the UPC code 30087510050. The phone number for Mead Johnson is 1-800-BABY-123. Callers are being advised to return the product to the place of purchase.

Gee says everyone at Walmart expresses their deepest condolences to the family of Avery Cornett.

Funeral services for little Avery will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday December 22nd at Holman-Howe Funeral Home in Lebanon.

UPDATED~Murder Charges Filed Against Two Men In Connection To Kenny Stout Death:

2011-12-16T09:10:00.020-06:00

Kenny Stout's body was found yesterday (facebook photo)

First degree murder charges have been filed against Christopher "Chris" Andy Jorgensen and Nathan Jensen in connection to the murder of 17 year-old Kenny Lee Stout.

Stout, whose body was found yesterday in a densely wooded area near the Ava Country Club, went missing while visiting Ava on Tuesday, according to authorities.

Prosecutors say Jorgensen allegedly stabbed and beat Stout to death because he was giving Nathan Jensen (aka Mace) "a hard time."

According to court documents, Stout's mother and a friend of Stout's, Shon Gossett, contacted authorities in Douglas County on December 14th to report the teen missing. They told authorities that the last communication from the teen was a text message sent about 4 p.m. the day before saying he was going to meet Jensen at Casey's convenience store in Ava. The message stated, "I am with Mace now."
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UPDATE- In newly filed court documents, Nathan Jensen told investigators that he and Jorgensen met Stout for a "drug deal."
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Nathan "Mace" Jensen has been charged with murder (mug shot DCSO)

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When authorities questioned Jenson, 26, of Seymour, about 10:30 p.m. on December 14th at Jorgensen's Ava residence he told them that he did not know Stout. Investigators obtained cell phone records for Kenny Stout and Jensen and found numerous calls and texts between the two the day the teen went missing.
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In the early morning hours of December 14th Jensen went to the Texas County Sheriff's Office after Jorgensen allegedly tried to shoot him He told authorities he had information about "a homicide that had occurred in Douglas County."

Authorities believe Jorgensen took Stout to a wooded area off County Road 500 sometime during the afternoon or early evening the day he went missing, beat him and left him there clinging to life.
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Jensen told detectives that at about 9:00 p.m. on December 13th he and Jorgensen had driven to a dirt road near the Ava Country Club and Jorgensen and had walked into the woods. Jenson told cops that about fifteen minutes later Jorgensen came back, "wiping his hands." Jensen told authorities that Jorgensen had a brown handled knife with him when he exited the woods.

UPDATE-According to the probabale cause statement filed against Jensen, he told authorities that he and Jorgensen drove Kenny Stout out to the location where his body was found and Jorgensen ordered everyone out of the car. "Chris began a confrontation with Kenny" and "hit him three or four times in the face and then hit him with an uppercut and Kenny hit the ground. Chris then began kicking Kenny in the face and head. Jorgensen then allegedly got two silver baseball bats out of the trunk of the vehicle and gave one of them to Jensen. "Chris beat Kenny repeatedly in the chest and head with the bat. Chris allegedly told Jensen to hit Stout with the bat, "or he would kill him." Jensen told cops "he hit Kenny once in the stomach with the bat."

In the newly filed court documents Jensen told investigators that after they (police) left Jorgensen's residence after inquiring about the whereabouts of Stout, he and Jorgensen drove back out to where Kenny lay dying and Jorgensen walked into the brush with a knife. "After the cop left Chris stated they need to drive back out there and make sure. Jensen drove his car and pulled in on the road and parked and Chris exited the car and walked up to where Kenny's body was at and Jensen stated he could see Chris bend down. Jensen stated Chris came back and wiped a large knife off in the grass and got back in the car with the knife and wiped his hands on his shirt. He told Jensen it was taken care of."

They then proceeded to a residence north of Cabool to "reportedly burn some of Chris' clothes that he had worn when he killed Kenny Stout." Jensen told investigators that while they were at the house Jorgensen asked him to bend over and use the light on his cell phone to illuminate a lock that he needed to open."

Jensen told investigators that it was then that Jorgensen allegedly placed a gun against his head and attempted to fire it twice, but the gun misfired. As Jensen ran from the scene Jorgensen allegedly fired another shot at him, but missed.
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Christopher Andy Jorgensen allegedly stabbed and beat Stout to death (mug shot DCSO)

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In the early morning hours of December 14th Jensen led authorities to an old logging road near County Road 500 where they found Stout dead. He had been stabbed seven times in the back, once in the chest and his throat had been slit. There was also blunt force trauma to his head and his face was swollen from being beaten.

Other friends of Jorgensen's, James Watson and Cheryl Calhoun, told investigators that Jorgensen showed up at their house on December 14th wanting to talk. The men went to a back bedroom and when Jorgensen left Watson allegedly told Calhoun that Jorgensen told him he "killed a guy in Douglas County and was going to hide Mase (sic) out because he didn't think Mase could handle it."

Watson then told his fiancee, "Chris puts a gun to Mase's head and pulls the trigger and it won't fire" and he killed Kenny Stout "because he was giving Mase a hard time a couple of weeks ago."

When Jorgensen was arrested investigators noted that there was a knife missing from a knife block in his residence.

Jorgensen

Jorgensen has also been charged as a prior and persistent offender due to convictions in 2001 for stealing and endangering the welfare of a child.

Man Who Stabbed Friend In Taney County Sentenced To Four Years:

2011-12-15T20:22:00.002-06:00

Zoan Gabriel Delgrado-Melendez (mug shot TCSO)

A man from Puerto Rico who pleaded guilty in October to stabbing a friend at a Branson motel last June will spend four years behind bars.

Authorities say Zoan Gabriel Delgrado-Melendez, 27, stabbed Thomas Bonialla after a night of heavy drinking at the Polar Bear Inn. Bonilla, also of Puerto Rico, who was 31 at the time incident, spent about a week in a Springfield hospital for treatment of multiple stab wounds.

Taney County Prosecutor Jeff Merrell says armed criminal action charges that were filed against Delgrado-Melendez were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Suspect Arrested In Grandmother's Beating Death, 2 Year-old Found Inside Home Unharmed:

2011-12-15T14:47:00.009-06:00

Gerald L. Brown (mug shot MDOC)

Authorities in Joplin have made an arrest in the murder of a Joplin grandmother who was babysitting when she was killed.

About eleven Tuesday (12-13-11) morning authorities were called to the home of 63 year-old Alicia D. Ball at 3222 S. Garrison to check the well being of the woman. When officers arrived, they found the back door kicked in, Ball bludgeoned to death in her bed and her two year-old granddaughter unharmed.

Lt. Brian Lewis says first-degree murder charges were filed against Gerald L. Brown, 40, of Joplin, who is the two year-old little girls father.

Newton County prosecutor Jake Skouby says Brown allegedly used a vase hidden inside a towel as a "swinging weapon" to incapacitate Ball before beating her to death with a brick.

According to the probable cause statement, Ball's daughter Myra, 31, left for work around 7 a.m. and then called police about 10:30 when she was unable to reach her mother by phone.

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Alicia Ball was found dead inside this house (courtesy KZRG)

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Video cameras caught Brown driving near the dead woman's home about 8:30 a.m. and witnesses told investigators they saw the mans vehicle parked near Ball's home that morning. Video surveillance show Brown walking near Ball's home about 8:49 a.m. and show him returning to his truck about 10:38 that morning. Brown allegedly admitted to investigators that he is the man seen walking near the residence that morning.

Ball was captured on video purchasing laundry detergent, bleach, paper towels and body wash after Ball was murdered. His roommates told investigators that Brown went to his home at 412 W. 3rd and washed "all of the clothing, including the boots" that he had been wearing with the exception of his coat.

A stain, consistent with blood, field tested positive to the presence of blood on the left sleeve of Brown's jacket, according to court records. Luminol tests in the bathroom of Brown's home revealed a "large amount of blood and hand prints in blood in and on the sink. Drops of blood were also found in the bathtub."

Brown, who is originally from the Kansas City area, lived with Myra Ball, their child and Alicia Ball until last week when the grandmother discovered money and a debit card missing from her purse and asked Brown to leave.

Myra Ball had gone to court to seek an order of protection against Brown....that order had not been served at the time of Alicia Ball's murder.

Skouby has filed first-degree murder and armed criminal action charges against Butler, who is being held without bond on a probation violation, in the Jasper County jail.

UPDATED~DEVELOPING~Family Members Say Missing Douglas County Teen Has Been Found Dead:

2011-12-15T12:21:00.009-06:00

Kenny Stout (facebook)

Authorities in Douglas County have scheduled a news conference for 1 p.m. to discuss a 17 year-old who has been missing since Tuesday.

Family members are posting via facebook that Kenny Stout, of Republic, who was last seen with an unidentified adult male, was found dead early this morning. Sheriff Chris Degase says investigators know who that man is, but they have been unable to locate him. Yesterday Degase said Stout's disappearance was "suspicious."

Stout, who attended high school in Republic, grew up in Ava and was visiting friends when he went missing.
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Degase says a tip from Texas County led officers to Stout's body, which was found along a logging road off of County road 500 near the Ava Country Club. Three people are in custody in connection with Stout's death.

According to Degase, the adult male that Stout texted friends he was with before he went missing is one of the people in custody.

Anyone with information regarding the last few day of Stout's life is asked to call the Douglas County Sheriff's Department at (417) 683-1020.

Walnut Shade Man Found Guilty Of Sex Charges Involving Kids:

2011-12-15T12:20:00.044-06:00

Ricky Don Ralston (mug shot TCSO)

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A jury in Taney County has found a man from Walnut Shade guilty of sex charges involving kids.

Prosecutor Jeff Merrell charged Ricky Don Ralston, 44, with statutory sodomy, statutory rape and sexual misconduct by indecent exposure in June 2010. Merrell says the jury deliberated about forty five minutes before finding Ralston guilty of molesting the 15-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son of his live in girlfriend from December of 2008 to August of 2009.

"A child abuse hotline call prompted an investigation that led to an investigation into the sexual abuse allegations. The indecent exposure charge was the result of a disclosure from the 13 year old son of Ralston’s girlfriend that Ralston had exposed himself to the boy, then made fun of the boy and called him names for having looked at Ralston’s genitals," said Merrell.

Ralston could receive up to 18 years in prison when he is sentenced on February 9th.

Funeral Services Announced For Little Boy Allegedly Murdered By Babysitter:

2011-12-09T20:49:00.002-06:00

Dusty Guenther had just turned four on December 1st

Funeral arrangements have been announced for the four year-old little boy who was allegedly murdered by his babysitter earlier this week in Wright County.

Visitation for little Dusty Lee Guenther will be on Monday, December 12, 2011 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home in Mountain Grove. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 2:00 PM in the Craig-Hurtt Chapel.

Wright County Prosecutor Jason MacPherson said today that the apparent motive for little Dusty's death was jealousy. MacPherson says Terry Joe "T.J." Volner wanted to be Gina Guenther's boyfriend and was mad because another man stayed the night, so he slit the boys throat to get back at the mother.

Volner has been charged with first-degree murder, armed crimnal action and abandonment of a corpse. He was arraigned today in associate circuit court and is being held on $1Million dollars bond.

Memorial contributions can be made to Wright County Children’s Home c/o the funeral home.

UPDATED: Authorities In Wright County Investigating Murder Of Four Year-Old Boy, Suspect Charged:

2011-12-07T12:58:00.026-06:00

Terry Volner was released from prison 9 months ago (mug shot MDOC)

The Missouri Highway Patrol is assisting authorities in Wright County investigate the murder of a four year-old who was found dead in a sewage system that sits adjacent to the families home on Highway Z near Competition.

Sources close to the investigation say Dusty Guenther's throat was slit and he was then thrown into the septic lagoon sometime early this morning.
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Terry "T. J." Volner told investigators he used a folding knife to stab Dusty in the neck sometime between the evening of December 6th and the early morning hours on December 7th. "

Dusty Guenther had just turned 4 on December 1st

According to the probable cause statement, Volner called his mother, Tina Miller, early Monday morning and said he killed "Gina, her boyfriend, and her four kids. Volner confirmed this by sending Miller a picture via cellular phone of the boy with his throat cut." One of the pictures showed Dusty "lying in some tall grass with a laceration to his throat and what appears to be a wet stick holding it up. There were also two pictures of what appears to be a small leg submerged in ice covered water. "
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Dusty Guenther was just four years-old when he was murdered (family photo courtesy Kyle Allen)

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"Another picture showed Dusty laying in the same position, with what appeared to be an adult's left arm held up in front of the camera. There was a tattoo on the arm in the picture, which is consistent with a tattoo located on Volner's left arm. It appears the tattoo is Volner in cursive writing," according to the probable cause statement. T.J. Volner has a similar tattoo.
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Gina Guenther was at work in Lebanon when deputies informed her of the little boys death.
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Three sisters of the dead boy, two of whom were located at Grovespring Elementary School, the other who was found safe in her crib inside the home. The girls have been placed in protective custody.
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Volner, who had lived with the family since June, was taken to a Springfield hospital with a self inflicted stab wound to the stomach. He was children's babysitter and the murder of little Dusty could be related to a domestic dispute between the man and another boyfriend of the mother.
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“He was watching the kids in exchange for a place to stay,” said Wright County Prosecutor Jason MacPherson.

It appears that Volner became "enraged" because Gina Guenther’s boyfriend, Eric, was spending the night. “The motive appears to be revenge. The defendant wanted to be the boyfriend of the mother -he did this to the child to get at the mother,” said MacPherson. The man who had stayed the night has been accounted for, according to authorities.

Terry Volner is related to Benny Volner and Elvis Volner who were convicted a few years ago of the ambush murder of their cousin Dustin Skaggs. "He's the brother to at least one of them," said MacPherson.

Volner, who has previous convictions of stealing a motor vehicle, knowingly burning or exploding, burglary, stealing animals and animal abuse. He has been charged with first degree murder, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse. He was released from prison in March of this year and could face the death penalty if convicted of murder.

Southwest Missouri Forensics will conduct an autopsy on the little Dusty tomorrow morning in Springfield.

Former ESPN Writer and NFL Analyst Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charges In Taney County:

2011-12-06T19:16:00.002-06:00

Former ESPN writer and NFL analyst Jeremy Green will spend at least six years behind bars

A former NFL analyst and commentator for ESPN has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography and has been sentenced to six years in prison.

In October, prosecutors in Taney County charged Jeremy Dennis Green, 40, with four counts of promoting child pornography n the first degree. However two of those counts were dismissed as and the two remaining charges were dropped to second degree felony promotion of child porn as part of a plea agreement. He received six year in prison on the two counts he pled guilty to. Those sentences will be served concurrently (at the same time.)

Taney County prosecutor Jeff Merrell says Green, of Bristol, Connecticut was chatting with an undercover Taney County deputy in June and July of 2010 who was posing as the mother of underage kids when Green allegedly shared 17 photos and 3 videos showing an adult male and toddler girl in explicit situations.

According to court records, Green stated during the chat that he would pay for children to visit him in Connecticut for the purpose of sex. When detectives in Connecticut examined the contents of one of the flash drives they found in Green's possession it contained more than 100 pornographic images. A sampling of those images showed girls between the ages of 2 and 10, according to the arrest warrant.

According to published reports in Connecticut, Green pleaded guilty in February of this year to one count of possession of child pornography related to the chat with the undercover officer. He was also charged in his home state with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.

The reason Green was charged in both Connecticut and Missouri for a crime the same crime is how the crime was committed (by sending information via computer state to state.)

Merrell says prison officials in Missouri and Connecticut will determine where Green serves his time as his Missouri sentence is concurrent to the sentence in CT.

Green, is the son of former NFL coach Dennis Green. He worked for the Cleveland Browns before joining ESPN. He was terminated by the sports network, where he had hosted the daily podcast “Football Today,” in July of 2010 when the allegations against him began to surface. Green had also worked as a professional scout for the NFL and Scouts Inc. for more over a decade and also served as director of pro personnel for the Cleveland Browns.

Kirby VanBurch DWI Investigation Underway In Taney County:

2011-12-06T15:41:00.001-06:00

Prosecutors are reviewing reports to alleged DWI offense

It’s been over three months since Kirby VanBurch was arrested and booked into the Branson jail on suspicion of DWI and there still have been no charges filed or dismissed, according to assistant prosecutor Tiffany Yarnell.

That case is under review in our office, said Yarnell. "We try to take things in the order we get them and the order they are entered into our case management system. It is in my office as we speak."

VanBurch was pulled over for suspicion of DWI near Roark Valley Road and Forsyth in the early morning hours of August 30th. Prosecutors are in the process of reviewing records in addition to waiting on reports pertaining to the stop.

In 2005, VanBurch was placed on five years probation after pleading guilty to drunk driving and assaulting a Branson police officer following a traffic stop.

"If the offender has one prior misdemeanor DWI/DUI conviction in the last five years to the present charge they can be charged as a prior alcohol offender. If they have an alcohol related assault conviction they can face felony charges," said Yarnell.

In an unrelated case, VanBurch and his ex-wife, Bambi, are also facing three counts of felony tax evasion for allegedly failing to pay sales, withholding and consumer use taxes from June through September of 2009, the same year the couple were divorced.

Man Who Scammed Businesses & Banks By Claiming To Be Tornado Victim Pleads Guilty To Federal Charges:

2011-12-06T14:09:00.001-06:00

Justin Compton scammed numerous business claiming to be a tornado victim (mug shot GCSO)

A man from Springfield who scammed several businesses and a bank in Ozark by claiming he was a victim of the deadly tornado that ripped through Joplin in May has pleaded guilty to bank fraud.

Justin R. Compton, 31, admitted that he opened a checking account at Regions Bank in Ozark, on May 20, 2011. Compton never deposited any additional funds in the account, and wrote several bad checks to businesses in Greene, Barry, Jasper, Lawrence, and Taney counties by purchasing the goods and services using checks drawn on that bank account.

Federal prosecutors say Compton convinced businesses to accept the checks by falsely stating that he was a sergeant in the U.S. Army and a victim of the May 22, 2011, tornado in Joplin. Compton tried to convince bank officials to keep the account open by telling them he and his family were victims of the tornado.

Compton engaged in similar schemes using accounts he opened at Higher One Bank, Armed Forces Bank and Academy Bank. Compton wrote a total of 225 checks on the four bank accounts, with total losses of $160,672. The number of victims identified to date is well in excess of 50.

Compton could face up to 30 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $1 million and an order of restitution when he is sentenced.

U. S. Marshals Nab Homicide Suspect In Springfield:

2011-12-05T19:25:00.013-06:00

Garrett Grimm Cleaver (mug shot GCSO)

U. S. Marshals in Springfield apprehended a man wanted for negligent homicide and assault of a law enforcement officer today at a motel on the city's north side.

After nine hours of surveillance Garrett Grimm Cleaver, 26, of Colony, Kansas was taken into custody about 4 p.m. in the parking lot of Budget Inn at 2555 N. Glenstone. Marshal Kelly Palmer says a woman went into the room Cleaver was thought to be in and the pair exited the room about thirty minutes later. "We pinned her vehicle in with ours and arrested Mr. Cleaver without incident," said Palmer.

Cleaver, 26, was charged late last month in Allen County Kansas with two counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer.

Cops say Cleaver was a passenger in a car driven by Melissa Elder (aka Melissa Matlock) when he bolted from the car with an assault rifle during the traffic stop. Cleaver came back to the vehicle and threatened the officer with the gun and sped off in Elder's vehicle. He later crashed the car and fled into the woods.

Authorities say that in April of 2010 Cleaver caused a three car crash in Chanute, KS when he crossed the center line on U169 knocking a mirror off of one vehicle and hitting another car head on. Joseph Bagnato, of New Jersey, was killed in the crash.

Cleaver was also wanted in Christian County for possession of methamphetamine .

The woman who was found with Cleaver was briefly detained and could possibly face charges of harboring a fugitive.

He is currently being held in the Greene County jail without bond.

Rogersville Man Charged With Kidanpping, Victim Hospitalized:

2011-12-05T17:24:00.009-06:00

Shannon Michael Meahan (mug shot GCSO)

A man from Rogersville is facing some serious charges following an alleged kidnapping yesterday (11-04-11) in Greene County.

Shannon Michael Meahan, 43, has also been charged with second-degree domestic assault in connection with an incident at a house in Strafford, according to a Greene County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Deputies responded to 1775 N. State Highway 125 following a report that a woman was dragged naked from the residence against her will and placed inside a vehicle that was driven away from the scene.

David R. Reeves told deputies he and the victim, D. C., were having sex when Mehan entered Reeves' home without permission and went into the bedroom. Court documents say Meahn knocked D. C. off of Reeves, dragged her naked through the house and slammed her head against several objects before dragging her outside.

At one point Reeves attempted to stop Mehan and the man was punched in the face.

D.C. told authorities that she and Mehan had been involved in an intimate relationship for the past nine years, however they had broken up about a month before and she has an active order of protection against him.

The woman told deputies that when Mehan dragged her outside he told her, "You have 3seconds to get in or I'm killing you right here." D. C. told officers that she remembered that Mehan had a sawed off shotgun so she got in the truck because she was in fear for her life.

After several hours of looking for Mehan and D. C. deputies located them near High and Johnston in Springfield. Mehan was taken into custody without incident. D. C., who was still naked when officers found her, was transported to the hospital for a possible concussion, according to the probable cause statement.

According to online court records, Meahan was charged with burglary, violation of a protection order and third degree assault in Webster County in December of 2010.

Meahan is being held in the Greene County Jail on $25,000 bond.

Authorities In Stone County Bust Man Wanted In Three Counties For Robbery:

2011-12-05T15:11:00.037-06:00

Can you identify this man?

Authorities in Branson are asking for help from the public in locating a man who robbed a convenience store yesterday afternoon.

About 4:11 police responded to White Oak Station convenience store at 2153 State Hwy 248. The suspect, who is a white male about 6 feet tall with a reddish goatee, displayed a black revolver and demanded money from the clerk.

Robbery suspect was last seen in this getaway vehicle

Video surveillance showed the suspect leaving in a 1990s GMC Pickup truck two tone possibly Green and Silver or Blue and silver with a tool box in the bed of the truck.

Anyone that can provide information leading to the identity of the suspect is urged to call the Branson Police CATCH line at 334-1085 or provide a crime tip at www.cityofbranson.org/police/crimtipsprovide
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UPDATE 12-7-11:

Authorities in Stone County arrested Steven Ray Youngblood in connection to the White Oak Station robbery in Branson, an attempted armed robbery on the Wal-Mart parking lot in Nixa and another in Springfield.

Troopers Make Weekend Drug Bust:

2011-12-05T12:24:00.000-06:00

Alberto Cardenas Gortari (mug shot (GCSO)

Two men who were allegedly transporting about 65 pounds of pot were arrested yesterday (11-4-11) following a traffic stop on I-44.

Troopers stopped the tractor trailer for failing to display proper identification about 7:30 near Route 125 in Greene County. Sgt. Jason Pace says a dog alerted authorities to two boxes of marijuana hidden inside the big rig.

Rafael Antonio Canas (mug shot GCSO)

Alberto Cardenas Gortari, 25, and passenger, Rafael Antonio Canas, 43, of Phoenix, Arizona, have been charged with drug trafficking and are being held on $25,000 bond in the Greene County jail.

Joplin Police Apprehend Texas Murder Suspect: (PC Attached)

2011-12-01T08:26:00.003-06:00

James O. Winchester was wanted for murder (mug shot JCSO)

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A suspect in a 2008 murder in San Angelo, Texas has been arrested in Joplin.

Authorities arrested James Owen Winchester, 43, Tuesday (11-29-11) at his home at 615 E. Hill Street on a first-degree murder warrant for the March 18, 2008 beating death of Kim Burton. Burton's daughter found her mother dead in her home after she was unable to reach her by phone.
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Kim Burton was dead for several days before she was found

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Investigators in Texas believe she was dead for several days before she was found. According to the probable cause affidavit, DNA found on a hammer inside Burton's home that was allegedly used to kill her belong to Burton and Winchester.

Court records say Winchester allegedly admitted being inside Burton's home when she was murdered when he was interviewed by detectives on March 21, 2008.

In addition to the murder warrant, Winchester is also being held on larceny and probation violation warrants without bond in the Jasper County jail pending extradition back to Texas.

Licking School Teacher Charged With Allegedly Furnishing Porn To Student:

2011-12-01T08:20:00.062-06:00

Jeremy Compton yearbook photo (courtesy KSPR)

A High School teacher in Licking has been placed on paid administrative leave after allegedly showing a 17 year-old female student porn on a cell phone.

Jeremy L. Compton, 37, is charged with furnishing pornography to a minor and tampering with physical evidence. The tampering charge is a result of Compton throwing the phone out a car window to get rid of evidence, according to the probable cause statement.

According to court documents, someone from the high school made a hot line call to report that Compton used a cell phone to show the girl pornography while they were in the gymnasium. Compton is a basketball coach and a teacher with the district.

Compton told school officials that he had "thrown the cell phone out the window of his vehicle while he was going to a class in Rolla."

The girl, who is a teachers aid for Compton, told investigators that Compton showed her two pictures "of a hard penis." The two other pictures on the phone were of female "porn stars" who were “bent over showing their butts and large breasts."

The senior says Compton told her, "that's my phone....don't tell any one about what you saw."

Police say Compton told them he found the phone after one of his classes and he did not intentionally show the pictures to the girl. "His explanation was that it wasn't his phone. He said he found it on school property and had accessed the phone to attempt to find out who the owner might be,” and that the student "grabbed it."

Compton told investigators that he told the girl the phone was his, "to get her to shut up and to just drop it."

Federal Prosecutor's Will Not Pursue Murder For Hire Charges Connected To Sex Slave Case:

2011-11-30T20:32:00.005-06:00

Bradley Joseph Cook (mug shot LCSO)

Federal prosecutors have decided that one of their top prosecutors in a sex slave case with ties to the Ozarks will stay on the case.

On Wednesday, a federal judge gave prosecutors a mid-December deadline to decide whether or not Cynthia Cordes would continue to be part of the trial team prosecuting the "worst sex crime" federal prosecutors in this area have seen.

In March, federal prosecutors alleged that Bradley Joseph Cook, 33, tried to hire a hit man to kill Cordes, and the alleged victim who was kept as a sex slave and tortured and abused for years in a trailer in Lebanon. The charges connected to the alleged murder plot against Cordes were made public in court documents, but charges have not been filed in the alleged scheme as it relates to Cordes.

The claim was included in a motion to keep Cook incarcerated and move him to a different jail, which Judge Robert Larson approved.

Cook, Edward "Master Ed" Bagley, Michael Stokes, James Noel and Dennis Henry were all charged with sex trafficking last fall after the victim was taken to a hospital in Lebanon near death following a torture session in February of 2009.

If convicted, each of the men face from five to fifteen years in prison.

Former Stone County Firefighter Sentenced To TenYears For Statutory Sodomy:

2011-11-29T13:18:00.004-06:00

Larry Joe Smith Jr. was found guilty earlier this year of molesting two sisters in 2006 (mug shot LCSO)

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A former Stone County firefighter has been sentenced to ten years in prison for molesting two young siblings in 2006.

Special prosecutor Robert George says Larry Joe Smith Jr., 35, sodomized the boy and girl at his home in Reeds Spring when he was babysat the siblings while their father attended firefighter training.

"Missouri law sets the minimum sentence of statutory sodomy of children under 12, at ten years," said George. "I had asked for a sentence of 15 to 20 years on each count. The victims were 9 and 6 at the time of the crime, and I believed, the acts warranted more than the minimum sentence."

Judge Gayle Crane found Smith guilty in October and sentenced him to ten years in prison on each count yesterday (11-28-11.) Those sentences are to be served concurrently (at the same time.)

George was appointed special prosecutor in Lawrence County after the case was moved there on a change of venue and after Stone County prosecutor Matt Selby recused himself from the case.

~UPDATED~Branson Entertainer Will Stand Trial For Felony Tax Evasion

2011-11-18T09:56:00.003-06:00

Bambi and Kirby VanBurch are facing 3 counts of felony tax evasion

A Branson entertainer charged with felony tax evasion waived his preliminary hearing yesterday (11-17-11) and has been bound over for trial.

Magician Kirby VanBurch and his ex wife Bambi are facing three counts of tax evasion for allegedly failing to pay sales, withholding and consumer use taxes from June through September of 2009, the same year the couple were divorced.

Stone County assistant prosecutor Dayrell Scrivner, who has been appointed special prosecutor in the case says, “The state has been talking with them, and with their attorneys, basically giving them an opportunity to produce some kind of explanation. They were trying to make sure it was not an oversight.”

This isn't the first time Kirby VanBurch has been in trouble with the law. In 2005, he was placed on five years probation after pleading guilty to drunk driving and assaulting a Branson police officer .

The VanBurch's, who could each face up to 15 years in prison if convicted, are due back in court on December 5th.
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UPDATE: 12-16-11:

Charges against Kirby and Bambi VanBurch were dismissed without prejudice after the couple "made a large payment" to cover their tax debt. That deal was struck shortly before the VanBurch's were to be arraigned in circuit court yesterday.

The special prosecutor says charges could be refiled if the couple fails to pay off the rest of the amount they owe. Scrivner would not comment on what dollar amount the couple paid the state.

UPDATED - House That Murdered Willard Couple Disappeared From Destroyed In Fire; Ruled Accidental:

2011-11-14T08:48:00.009-06:00

House where Porter's disappeared destroyed in fire (courtesy Springfield News-Leader)

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The house that a murdered couple from Willard disappeared from is a total loss after a fire early this morning (10-14-11.)

Rusty and Rebecca Porter went missing from the house in April. Family members called authorities after they went to the house on Route HH after not hearing from the Porter's for a day, which was unusual. The house was unlocked and a strong smell of bleach permeated the inside of the residence.

The couples remains were found in July in rural Taney County. The couple had been each been shot in the back of the head.

Tim Campbell, a cousin of Rusty Porter, was living in the house and called 9-1-1 around 4:45 a.m. to report the fire. Strong winds, with gusts as high as 35 mph, hampered firefighting efforts, but the fire was brought under control shortly after 7 a.m.

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Back of house burning (courtesy Kay Simmons)

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Sheriff Jim Arnott says he does not believe any potential evidence was destroyed in the fire as investigators had finished processing the house and surrounding property for evidence and released the crime scene to the family last spring.

Arnott says the blaze will be investigated as an arson until a cause is determined.

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There have been no charges filed against anyone at this time in connection to the Porter's murders.
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UPDATE 1:30 P.M.:

According to Rusty Porter's mother, Kay Simmons, the state fire marshal has ruled the fire an accidental electical fire that started in the attic near the kitchen.

Toddler's Death In Joplin Ruled Homicide:

2011-11-11T13:43:00.005-06:00

Emjay Corn and his mother Nichole Hall (courtesy POC)

The October 29th death of an 18 month-old Joplin toddler has been ruled a homicide.

Lt. Brian Lewis says preliminary autopsy results reveal that little Emjay Braxton Corn died of blunt force trauma to the head.

Eric J. Hicks, 28, the boyfriend of Emjay's mother, Nichole Hall, 32, called authorities after he found the little boy dead in his crib after leaving him home alone for about an hour while he went to a methadone clinic.

Nichole Hall was in a mental hospital at the time of her son's death. Authorities were called to the home she shared with Hicks at 1322 Pennsylvania Ave. on the evening of October 27th after Hall threatened to kill herself and everyone in the house, according to sources close to the case.

When asked if Emjay's injuries could have been caused by Hall prior to her hospitalization, or if the boy could have been dead for several hours or up to a day before Hicks's timeline- Lewis said, "We're waiting on a forensic pathologist to establish a timeline in the case."

Authorities have been called back out to the Pennsylvania Avenue house at least twice after Hall was released from the hospital. "On November 3rd an officer was requested to call the home and on November 4th there was a follow up," said Lewis.

Eric J. Hicks has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child

Hall was re-admitted to the mental hospital last week.

Hicks has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and was released from jail after posting $10,000 bond.

No charges have been filed against anyone at this time in connection to Emjay's murder.