Phelps is one of two suspects in the Cassidy Rainwater murder case. (KY3) - The worst fears of Cassidy Rainwater's family and friends were confirmed Wednesday. Court documents reveal that beyond showing Rainwater in a cage, additional photos the FBI had shared with county detectives in September showed Rainwaters body bound to a gantry crane device (commonly used for processing wild game), and depicted her evisceration and dismemberment. Authorities had also found what were confirmed by lab testing to be Rainwaters remains packaged in a freezer and dated 7-24, court documents said, and had discovered skeletal remains on the property that they believe to be Rainwaters, as well. The crime scene was investigated for seven days in mid-September, and according to the Sheriffs Office, investigators collected the gantry device, cage, and "items from the freezer that appeared to be human flesh with a date written on them of 7-24.". The home caught fire during the evening hours of Oct. 4. He said she had been talking about going to Colorado. The two later carried her dismembered body inside to the bathtub. James Phelps, 58, and . At a nearby property, the Sheriffs Office said uncovered skeletal remains were believed to be Rainwaters. Phelps and Norton were initially charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping, facilitating a felony, inflicting injury, and terrorizing. It is not a good idea to listen to a crime reporter/blogger or Tik Tok videos. A woman whose remains were found in September was kept in a cage before being murdered, eviscerated, and dismembered, according murder charges filed against two Missouri men. Waiting for your permission to load facebook comments. According to court documents, hed told agents Phelps asked him to come over while Rainwater was sleeping. According to court records, Norton was originally interviewed on Sept. 19 and after his interview, officers determined he had provided information that was not accurate. Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice said Wednesday in a Facebook post that the seven photos also showed Rainwater's body on a gantry crane, which is commonly used for deer processing, where she was disemboweled and dismembered before her body was placed in a bathtub. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. Some of the woman's body parts were later found in a freezer, he said. DNA tests returned to Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice confirmed Rainwaters flesh was found in a freezer. A report, first obtained by local news outlet Ozarks First from the Springfield Fire Department showed the bomb squad had been called in and found an incendiary device in a mortar tube with an attached trip wire. A representative for the states Division of Fire Safety, which helped investigate the cause of the fire, said the agency provided its report to authorities but cannot comment on the findings because its part of an investigation. Federal investigators said no one has seen Cassidy Rainwater since July. Those photos, as well as photos of Rainwater strung up on a gantry crane being dismembered and eviscerated, were sent in an anonymous tip to the FBI, according to court documents. On Wednesday, the Dallas County Sheriffs Department announced the murder charges. An . The mystery surrounding the fate of a Missouri woman who vanished over the summer has finally been solvedbut the details about what really happened to Cassidy Rainwater are more ghastly than anyone could have imagined. According to court documents, Cassidy Rainwater's remains have been found on a property belonging to two men accused of kidnapping her and keeping her in a cage. He also told the deputy that at the end of July 2021, Rainwater had left in the middle of the night and met with someone in a vehicle at the end of the driveway and he had not seen or heard from her since. Authorities arrested Phelps and then found the slew of evidence on his property that was revealed by the sheriffs office on Wednesday. He noted there is a lot of misinformation circulating in the case. Norton said he held Rainwater down while Phelps put a plastic bag over her head and strangled her, according to Rice. Ad Choices, According to a news release from the Dallas County Sheriffs Office, According to court documents cited by WDAF-TV, The Sheriffs Office said in a news release, detonated an explosive device near the fire, Murder charges filed on the Cassidy Rainwater case Dallas County Sheriffs Office Facebook, Murder charges filed in death of southwest Missouri woman as grisly details revealed - Kansas City Star, Cassidy Rainwater case: Home of alleged kidnapper burns down after new evidence uncovered, 10/7/21 - TCD, 2 Missouri men arrested for allegedly keeping missing woman in a cage, 9/30/21 - TCD, Missouri men accused of keeping missing woman locked in cage, court records say, 9/28/2021 - WDAF. Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com In the weeks following the arrest, rumors spread on TikTok that the two men had been butchering humans and storing, even selling, their meat. According to the Sheriffs Office, Norton was interviewed on Sept. 20, and eventually confessed to the murder of Rainwater. On Wednesday, the Dallas County Sheriffs Department announced the murder charges against Timothy Norton, 56, and James Phelps, 58, in a statement on Facebook, and court documents reveal new disturbing details of the case. In a September announcement of Phelps arrest, Sheriff Scott Rice had said, Due to the extreme nature of the crime and the continuation of the investigation, additional details cannot be released at this time., Editors picks Police say items from the freezer that appeared to be human flesh have been positively identified as Rainwaters remains, and skeletal remains belonging to her were also uncovered. All pre-trial hearings in Phelps' case will still be held in Dallas County, and even at the trial in Jasper County, Dallas County Judge Jill Porter will preside. According to court documents, Phelps told the detective that about a month prior, Cassidy left in the middle of the night and met a vehicle at the end of the driveway in the dark and had not been seen or heard from since. A missing persons case in southwest Missouri has shaken three counties to their core after the two men involved in Cassidy Rainwater's kidnapping were arrested in Lebanon. Police say the 33-year-olds remains were found in a freezer at the home of one of the men accused of kidnapping her in Windyville, an unincorporated Ozarks community about 160 miles from Kansas City. Norton was arrested on September 20 after speaking to authorities. The investigation remains ongoing. Rainwater has ties to the Kansas City area. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Phelps' case was moved to Jasper County last week. When investigators searched Phelps' property, court documents say they found Rainwater's remains in a deep freezer in packages labeled 7-24, the last day Rainwater is believed to be alive.. In partnership with When police followed up on this tip, they found seven photos on Phelps phone that led to his arrest. He had spoken to a detective previously on Sept. 1, 2021, and reportedly said that Cassidy was staying with him until she could make it on her own and mentioned going to Colorado. The little I did watch I didnt hear anything bad, and then all of a sudden Im hearing about a guy whos got women locked up, and possible torture. She would stop by, and she would talk to us when we were outside working. They allegedly recovered messages between Phelps and Norton planning Rainwaters murder on Jul. The next court hearings are currently set for Feb. 8 for Timothy Norton and Feb. 18 for James Phelps. Per court records, James Phelps told police the last time he saw Cassidy was on this day. The tip the FBI received was titled Cassidy. Phelps and Timothy Norton, both of Dallas County, were charged in September 2021 with kidnapping the 33-year-old woman and facilitating a felony, inflicting injury and terrorizing. A probable cause statement says on September 16th, the FBI office in Kansas City received an. In a hearing in Dallas County, James Phelps who was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Cassidy Rainwater entered an Alford plea in the case. Man Accused of Killing, Dismembering a Mother of 2 Who'd Recently Moved in with Him. Whether its a short vacation or theyre jetting off to begin their career, show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift. After tests confirmed that the labeled remains found in a freezer inside Phelps rented home were Rainwaters, the charges were upgraded to murder several weeks later. Dallas County Judge Lisa Henderson was initially expected to hear the cases of Phelps and co-defendant Timothy Norton. Phelps was arrested at the scene on Sept. 16. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time The Dallas County Sheriff's Office laid out the case on social media today, announcing details surrounding the murder. A month prior, however, Phelps reportedly told a detective he had not seen Rainwater since she went to meet a car at the end of his driveway in the middle of the night. She is listed as a freshman in the 2003 yearbook from . The FBI contacted Dallas County Sheriffs Office saying they had received an anonymous tip that Cassidy Rainwater was caged up on a property rented by Phelps. He wrote that he was upset with social media and bloggers thinking they knew what happened. Norton's lawyer, Brenden Twibell, told the Springfield News-Leader the new charges were expected and Norton will plead not guilty. At one point, a Dallas County deputy found something that resembled a tripwire; thats when the Springfield bomb squad was sent to investigate. Kansas City police are asking for help finding 22-year-old Kevontay Watson who is missing. Norton confessed to the murder of Cassidy Rainwater. She asked us to conceal her identity for her protection. The new charges come after remains recovered at Phelps property just days after his arrest were positively identified as Rainwaters. . According to the Kansas City Star, the kidnapping charge was upgraded on Wednesday to first-degree murder and abandonment of a corpse. Norton is scheduled to be back in court May 2. Phelps will be in court in Dallas County on Friday . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. When police visited Phelps property, they found the same scene from the photographs provided by the FBI, according to an affidavit by Dallas County Sheriffs Department Sergeant Robby Simmons. He can fix it, Mtley Cre let out their Wild Side rocking NFL Draft stage in Kansas City, NFL executive thanks KC for hosting Draft, says attendance slightly exceeded projection, Photos: Travis Kelce, Machine Gun Kelly, a smashed Super Bowl trophy. Attorneys have scheduled preliminary hearings for the two men charged with killing Dallas County woman, Cassidy Rainwater.. James Phelps appeared via video in Dallas County court on Friday morning as attorneys set the date for his preliminary hearing, where it will be determined if the state has enough evidence to move ahead in charging Phelps with first-degree murder, abandonment of a corpse . Mr Phelps and Mr Norton, who are due to appear in court, had already been charged with kidnapping before being issued with higher charges on Wednesday. Nms is the Arabic word (Greek "") of a concept of an ethical category, a virtue, in Middle Eastern patriarchal character. They allegedly recovered messages between Phelps and Norton planning Rainwaters murder on Jul. While on Phelps' property, detectives also found items in the backyard that "coincided with the photos," the Sheriffs Office said. The home in Missouri where a man is accused of holding missing woman Cassidy Rainwater captive in a cage has burned down as he waits for trial in jail. Ive been incredibly unsettled since the whole Menagerie started, she said. In the weeks that followed, Phelps and co-defendant Timothy Norton pleaded not guilty to new criminal charges. ", After the 33-year-old woman was dead, "he and Phelps took a short break before carrying her body outside," according to the statement. When police followed up on this. Sheriff Scott Rice addressed the misinformation and rumors about the case in another Facebook post on Oct. 7. Authorities searched the area to figure out how the fire started and if there could be more tripwires than one spotted near the home. Phelps lawyer has not commented on the previous charges and did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the murder charges. The RENPHO Foot Massager Machine may be just the gift to make Mothers Day extra special for your mom this year. Per court documents, investigators say Norton admitted that Phelps asked him to help kill Rainwater while she was staying at Phelps home. Investigators ruled the blaze an arson and found two. The FBI contacted Dallas County Sheriff's Office saying they had received an anonymous tip that Cassidy Rainwater was caged up on a property rented by Phelps. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been in custody since. No motive has been revealed in connection with Rainwater's brutal killing. The defense opposed this request based on state Supreme Court requirement that allows for only a 30-day period. He told investigators he was an over-the-road trucker and lives in his truck even when he was not actively working, police said. There are as many as 23 remains being looked into. Investigators say DNA testing identified her remains. That is when the Dallas County Sheriffs Office opened the investigation into her disappearance. An amended criminal complaint shows the two men each still face a kidnapping charge as well as a felony count of abandonment of a corpse, saying they knowingly disposed of the corpse of Cassidy Rainwater at or near Phelps property without notifying authorities. On Aug. 25, police spoke to Phelps, who allegedly claimed Rainwater had been staying with him temporarily, and then one night, left likely for Colorado. man accused of kidnapping Cassidy Rainwater burns to the ground, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Two accused of kidnapping Cassidy Rainwater appear in Dallas County court, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Neighbor speaks on fire and Dallas Co. investigation of Cassidy Rainwater, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dallas County sheriff addresses rumors in disappearance case of Cassidy Rainwater, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Investigators found incendiary device during fire at home at center of kidnapping case in Dallas County, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Missouri State Fire Marshal rules fire at home of kidnapping in Dallas County as arson, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Attorneys for James Phelps request new judge in kidnapping case of Cassidy Rainwater, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dallas County sheriff confirms remains found on James Phelps property as Cassidy Rainwater, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: A closer look at the relationship between James Phelps and Timothy Norton, EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Dallas County sheriff explains whats next in case of Cassidy Rainwater. One of the two men charged in the Dallas County kidnapping and death of Cassidy Rainwater entered an Alford plea on Friday and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Investigators say Rainwater, a 33-year old woman with ties to Dallas, Greene and Laclede counties, disappeared on July 25. Investigators with the Missouri State Fire Marshals Office concluded that an Oct. 4 house fire at the center of a kidnapping case in Dallas County was a result of arson. Rainwater was last seen alive in mid-July. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Man charged in Cassidy Rainwater death enters plea, sentenced to life, Popular Mobile Games You Must Play In 2023, according to Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute, Murder charges filed, gruesome details released in Cassidy Rainwater case, Man charged in Cassidy Rainwater death enters plea, sentenced to life. In the report, investigators claimed they found the explosive device in a mortar tube with a balloon cover, which featured tripwires. Man accused in grisly Missouri murder makes surprise decision hours before hearing, Murder charges filed in death of southwest Missouri woman as grisly details revealed, Missing 22-year-old Kansas City man has been found safe: police, Thanks to Missouris voter ID law, Kansas Citians must pay to vote. Dallas County Sheriff's Office Detectives then identified. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, were hit with the murder counts as well as being charged with abandonment of a corpse. Norton is scheduled to appear in Nov. 23 and Phelps on Nov. 19. James Phelps and Timothy L. Norton have been charged with kidnapping 33-year-old Cassidy Rainwater who was reported missing on July 24. The Springfield bomb squad arrived at the scene and detonated an explosive device near the fire. Phelps and Norton were arrested back in September of 2021 after authorities say they obtained photos of Rainwater in a cage on Phelps property. Several hours later, the bomb squad detonated the suspicious device. Laura Bauer came to The Star in 2005 after spending much of her life in southwest Missouri. The Missouri State Fire Marshals Office launched an investigation after the fire caused a total loss to the home. Police have also divulged new information about hundreds of other pieces of evidence recovered in the case, providing disturbing new details about Rainwaters final moments that come as a gut-punch to many who feared the worst from the very beginning. Police have now upped the charges against both men to first-degree murder. Sheriff Rice said more of her remains were found scattered on a nearby property belonging to her grandfather Bill Rainwater. The address listed for him on online court systems and court documents showed the same address as James Phelps home on Moon Valley Road. The Ozarks home where 33-year-old Cassidy Rainwater was allegedly kept in captivity burned to the ground after authorities found a tripwire and a "live incendiary device." Im continuing to pray for her family. The bomb squad arrived around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday and shortly after, they detonated an explosive device near the area of the fire. Those items were dated July 24. Investigators found them. It remains unclear if Mr Phelps, who is due in court next week, has a lawyer. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time The Dallas County Sheriff applied for and received a search warrant for Phelps' phone later that day, WDAF reported, and reportedly found seven pictures . I am very upset by it.. Two men are charged with her murder after photos showed her evisceration and dismemberment. 24. Phelps entered an Alford plea, a type of guilty plea in which a defendant maintains their innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have sufficient evidence for a conviction. All rights reserved. He said hed held Rainwaters legs while Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head. However, if anyone has new information concerning the case of her death or disappearance, they are encouraged to contact the Dallas County Sheriffs Office at 417-345-2441. He is diagnosed with autism, is non-verbal and has medical conditions that require care. The home accused kidnapper James Phelps was staying atburned to the ground late Mondaynight, and a bomb squad from Springfield was sent to investigate. A Dallas County deputy had alerted a firefighter after discovering a trip wire near the home. Norton was interviewed again on Sept. 20 at the Dallas County Sheriffs Office. Phelps is scheduled to be back in court May 19, while Norton is scheduled to be back in court May 2. Police have not yet given a motive for the grisly crime, but they say Phelps and Norton planned it in advance. Mr Norton will reportedly plead not guilty and appear in court on Friday, after admitting that he strangled Ms Rainwater, according to Fox4. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Phelps and Norton were seen as suspects from the get-go, and the case took a bizarre turn in October, when the Ozarks home at the center of the investigation burned to the ground and authorities found tripwire and a live incendiary device on the property. "Phelps stated he had not seen Cassidy since.". Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice says investigators have not located any evidence leading them to believe there are any other victims or suspects associated with Phelps and Norton at this time. James Phelps . In another strange development, on Oct. 4, a fire started at Phelps property where Rainwaters remains were found burned the house to the ground. Both remain jailed in Dallas County. After several hours, deputies departed from the scene, but no new findings in the investigation were released. Phelps' co-defendant, Timothy Norton, faces the same charges. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. On Sept. 16, investigators received a search warrant for James Phelps' cell phone, and court records say they found seven photos of Cassidy Rainwater partially nude being held in a cage on his . According to court documents, on Sept. 16, the Dallas County Sheriffs Office was contacted by an FBI agent in Kansas City about an anonymous tip. Norton stated he helped Phelps carry Cassidy's body into the house and placed her into the bathtub.". During the hearing, prosecutors asked for 45 days until the preliminary hearing due to the number of witnesses needed. Evidence found in a September search included Rainwater's remains. The remarks followed a fire at the home of Mr Phelps in October, with investigators finding tripwires at the property. The Springfield 3. Warner Bros. Entertainment | Rainwater was last seen alive in mid-July. In a Springfield Bomb Squad report, investigators said they found an incendiary device during a fire at the home connected to James Phelps. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been charged with the kidnapping of Cassidy Rainwater. An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. One of the two men charged in the Dallas County kidnapping and death of Cassidy Rainwater entered an Alford plea on Friday and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Authorities have not shared many updates since confirming the death of Rainwater on Nov. 17. 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The defendants' attorneys could not be reached for comment. Preliminary hearings for Phelps and Norton, originally set for the first week of February, have been postponed. Authorities arrested Phelps and then found the slew of evidence on his property that was revealed by the sheriffs office on Wednesday. The packages in the freezer containing her remains were labeled 7-24. Rainwater was last seen at some point in late July; a family member who officially reported her missing on Aug. 25 said she had last been seen about six weeks prior. Rice said Norton told investigators Phelps asked him to help kill Rainwater on July 24 while she was staying at Phelps' home. Phelps had admitted to police that Rainwater had been living on his property, but he repeatedly tried to deflect investigators scrutiny, telling them that she up and left suddenly in late July after voicing plans to leave for Colorado. To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com.
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