When investigators searched Phelps property, court documents say they found Rainwaters remains in a deep freezer in packages labeled 7-24, the last day Rainwater is believed to be alive. 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. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been charged with the kidnapping of Cassidy Rainwater. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. Norton was arrested Sept. 21. In her 25-year career, Lauras stories on child welfare, human trafficking, crime and Kansas secrecy have been nationally recognized. Phelps' case was moved to Jasper County last week. Dallas County Judge Lisa Henderson was initially expected to hear the cases of Phelps and co-defendant Timothy Norton. An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. 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. Human Remains Found in Freezer in Case that Fueled TikTok Rumors 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 home Phelps rented on Moon Valley Road in Dallas County was burned to the ground in the late-evening hours. The new charges come after remains recovered at Phelps property just days after his arrest were positively identified as Rainwaters. James D. Phelps entered an Alford plea for a charge of first-degree murder in a Dallas County court today, April 28. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Norton is scheduled to appear in court next Tuesday. Warrant: 7 photos found of caged partially nude missing woman; suspect The Dallas County Sheriffs Office has now revealed that the cage was the least of Rainwaters torment: She was strangled by the two men before being gutted and dismembered, according to the officials. Dallas County Judge Jill Porter sentenced Phelps to life in prison without parole. The remarks followed a fire at the home of Mr Phelps in October, with investigators finding tripwires at the property. KOLR-TV is in contact with local authorities daily, but they are not releasing much information. The home accused kidnapper James Phelps was staying atburned to the ground late Mondaynight, and a bomb squad from Springfield was sent to investigate. 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. She asked us to conceal her identity for her protection. TIMELINE: The death and disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater in - KY3 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. The Rainwater case dates back to September 2021 after the Kansas City office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation received an anonymous tip with photos of Rainwaters partially nude body inside a cage. According to the Sheriffs Office, Norton was interviewed on Sept. 20, and eventually confessed to the murder of Rainwater. This was less than 24 hours after the home where Phelps was staying burned to the ground. Dallas County land records show that the Rainwater family still owns land that surrounds the unsecured crime scene. 2023 Telepictures Productions Inc. 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. According to court documents, investigators recovered more than 200 pieces of evidence at the home and determined that Rainwaters body had been dismembered. I cant fathom what her family is experiencing and Im heartily sorry that it happened so close to my home.. Cassidy Rainwater's death and disappearance timeline - OzarksFirst.com Cassidy Rainwater's remains were recently identified. (KY3) - A man has been arrested in the case of missing woman Cassidy Rainwater. A trial date had not been set. The Missouri State Fire Marshals Office launched an investigation after the fire caused a total loss to the home. , updated Nortons attorney has said he intends to plead not guilty. Admonishing true crime fans who were sitting in their apartment or their mommy and daddys basement eating Great Value cheese puffs and drinking box wine, he went on to say that the public should stop hanging on very word is this type of crap. 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. Due to the nature of the plea, there was no criminal trial. Norton told FBI agents that Phelps had him come over while Cassidy was sleeping in the living room floor, so he had easy access to attack Cassidy, the sheriffs office said. The Sheriffs Office said Norton told FBI agents that Phelps asked him to come over to his home, and he held Cassidys legs down as "Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head" before bounding Rainwater to the gantry crane where they started the "evisceration and dismemberment of Cassidys body.". No motive has been revealed in connection with Rainwater's brutal killing. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Phelps' cellphone and uncovered pictures of Rainwater partially nude being held in a cage on Phelps' property. Investigators say Rainwater, a 33-year old woman with ties to Dallas, Greene and Laclede counties, disappeared on July 25. Shes a member of the investigative team focusing on watchdog journalism. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Two men charged in September with felony kidnapping have now been charged with murder in the missing persons case of Cassidy Rainwater, a Missouri woman who appeared caged and partially nude in photos sent to the FBI. Missing NC woman found dead in woods, police begin homicide investigation Someone reported her missing on Aug. 25. One day later, police brought back Norton to interview him again. She would stop by, and she would talk to us when we were outside working. Norton reportedly assisted Phelps in carrying Rainwaters body back inside the residence and into a bathtub. 1 of 2 charged in the death of Cassidy Rainwater in the summer of 2021 According to court documents cited by WDAF-TV, Phelps reportedly provided inconsistent statements during his interviews with detectives. 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. Digital. Literally translated as "virtue", it is now more popularly used in a strong gender-specific context of relations within a family described in terms of honor, attention, respect/respectability, and modesty. Cassidy Rainwater was last seen in mid-July. Very few details on this case have been released by the Dallas County Sheriffs Office, including whether Cassidy Rainwater has been found. We could feel the heat, said Nicholson. That tip led the FBI to Dallas County, about 160 miles southeast of Kansas City, and launched what became a secretive, weeks-long criminal investigation. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. Cassidy Rainwater's remains were found labeled "7-24" in a freezer. More than a month after their arrests, no additional charges had been filed against Phelps and Norton. James David Phelps, 58, told investigators that he was helping the 33-year-old woman "get back on her feet" and that she had been living in the loft area of his cabin at 386 Moon Valley Road. All rights reserved. Norton then admitted that after arriving at Phelps home he did physically confine CR by holding her down for a substantial period of time, for the purpose of facilitating the commission of a felony, or inflicting physical injury on, or terrorizing CR, the document said. James Phelps assigned new judge to oversee Cassidy Rainwater kidnapping On Nov. 17, the Dallas County prosecutor filed first-degree murder charges against James Phelps and Timothy Norton in Rainwaters death. Wiliams lives in Urbana, about half an hour away from the site of Monday nights fire. Phelps lawyer has not commented on the previous charges and did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the murder charges. (KY3) - The Dallas County Sheriffs Office led a months-long investigation into the disappearance and death of Cassidy Rainwater, a case that took national spotlight several weeks after she initially went missing. It was not immediately clear if Phelps had an attorney. In the weeks following the arrest, rumors spread on TikTok that the two men had been butchering humans and storing, even selling, their meat. DNA tests positively identified human remains found in a freezer at a Missouri home as missing woman Cassidy Rainwater; Rainwater, 33, was last seen on July 24 at James Phelps' home, but she was . On Sept. 16, 2021, the Dallas County Sheriffs Office received intel from the FBI that led them to James Phelps' property in Windyville. 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. At a nearby property, the Sheriffs Office said uncovered skeletal remains were believed to be Rainwaters. (KY3) - The worst fears of Cassidy Rainwater's family and friends were confirmed Wednesday. Springfield City Officials say they dont have any further information at this time. Here is the most recent timeline of events in Rainwaters death, disappearance and confirmed information in the investigation: This was the last day anyone, including family members, reported seeing Cassidy Rainwater. what really happened to Cassidy Rainwater. To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Norton is scheduled to appear in Dallas County for a hearing May 2. Investigators say DNA testing identified her remains. 16:05 BST 18 Nov 2021 against Timothy Norton, 56, and James Phelps, 58, in a statement on Facebook, and court documents reveal new disturbing details of the case. Investigators determined it to be arson. On Monday, the Dallas County Sheriffs Officereleased a statement on Facebookstating that the FBI has recovered several items that will be used to further the investigation. Dallas County Sheriff's Office Detectives then identified. Sheriff Scott Rice addressed the misinformation and rumors about the case in another Facebook post on Oct. 7. BUFFALO, Mo. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time A home belonging to James Phelps. How do I keep bugs off my patio this spring? Geo resource failed to load. Cassidy Rainwater case: Timeline of disappearance, charges and fire 24. Court documents indicate that when investigators searched Phelps' property, they found Rainwater's remains in a deep-freezer, dated with 7-24, the last day Rainwater is believed to have been alive. 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. "Norton told FBI agents that Phelps had him come over while Cassidy was sleeping [on] the living room floor, so he had easy access to attack Cassidy," reads the statement. She was reported missing in late August 2021 by a woman named Cora Terry. The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History Where is Cassidy Rainwater? - The Crime Scene - Blogger Phelps and Norton were initially charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping, facilitating a felony, inflicting injury, and terrorizing. Woman missing for months as cannibalism rumors swirl; image of 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. Phelps was arrested and sent to the Dallas County Jail, where he is currently in custody. ", According to the statement, police found human flesh inside a freezer at Phelps' home, and that it had been marked with a date: "7/24. Missing Missouri Woman Was Gutted and Stashed in Freezer, Police Reveal SCENE OF HORROR Cassidy Rainwater's alleged kidnappers have been unmasked as her alleged murderers, as police reveal. James Phelps and Timothy L. Norton have been charged with kidnapping 33-year-old Cassidy Rainwater who was reported missing on July 24. Skeletal remains believed to be Rainwaters were located on the adjacent property. (KOLR) Cassidy Rainwater, the woman seen in a dark web photo being held in a cage in a partially nude state, was reported missing in August. Authorities say they have no reason to believe there are any other victims associated with Phelps and Norton at this time.. Evidence found in a September search included Rainwater's remains. New motions filed in James.
Police had found her remains in a freezer in September, and according to reports, in containers that were labelled with the date 7/24, and which later matched DNA for Ms Rainwater. Terry told authorities that the last time Rainwater was seen was about six weeks earlier and she believed that a James Rainwater was the last person to see her. Mr Norton will reportedly plead not guilty and appear in court on Friday, after admitting that he strangled Ms Rainwater, according to Fox4. The Law Did Not Treat Them Kindly. "Phelps stated that, about a month prior, Cassidy had met a vehicle at the end of the driveway and left in the middle of the night," the statement alleges. Some photos showed the womans body bound to a gantry crane, commonly used for deer processing, and her evisceration and dismemberment, the Dallas County Sheriffs Department posted on its Facebook page back then. Cassidy Rainwater murder suspect gets life in prison - MSN He said that Rainwater had been talking about going to Colorado. A van was found on the property that is similar to the van linked to the 3 missing women from 1992. On the night of Oct. 4, a day before Phelps and Norton were scheduled to appear in court, Phelps' home burned to the ground. In a September announcement of Phelps arrest, Sheriff Scott Rice had said, Due to the extreme nature of the, In the weeks following the arrest, rumors spread on, trespass, litter, vandalize, harass, or destroy property., In another strange development, on Oct. 4, a, started at Phelps property where Rainwaters remains were found burned the house to the ground. Everything was quiet and I thought moving to the country was going to be the best fit, but now.I dont want to move back to the city but now I feel like I might have made a bad choice, says Williams. Rainwater was last seen in July and was reported missing in late August. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. KY3 spoke to a woman who lives near the home. Laura Bauer came to The Star in 2005 after spending much of her life in southwest Missouri. Phelps' trial moved to Jasper County in case of Rainwater death 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. Investigators searched Phelps' home near Lebanon, Missouri, for seven days and found the gantry crane, cage and items in the freezer that appeared to be 'human flesh,' Rice said. The Dallas County Sheriff's Office laid out the case on social media today, announcing details surrounding the murder. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. I dont understand what makes people get like that, says Williams. In a 2003 yearbook from Harrisonville High School in Cass County, shes listed as a freshman. Two men arrested in disappearance of Dallas County woman The other photos depicted Cassidys body bound to a gantry crane, commonly used for deer processing, and her evisceration and dismemberment.. Nearly four months after Cassidy Rainwater went missing, the Dallas County prosecutor officially upgraded charges against Phelps and Norton. Rainwater, 33, has been missing since late July, and court documents say investigators. 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. The next court hearings are currently set for Feb. 8 for Timothy Norton and Feb. 18 for James Phelps. At the time he told investigators he had not seen. James Phelps . Waiting for your permission to load facebook comments. Authorities arrested Phelps and then found the slew of evidence on his property that was revealed by the sheriffs office on Wednesday. Phelps is one of two suspects in the Cassidy Rainwater murder case. Dallas County Prosecutor Jonathan Barker said that if he still isnt ready to proceed after 30 days, he would file a motion for more time. Her mother's body was found in 2008 in Laclede County. Cassidy Rainwater's remains found on accused kidnappers' property in 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. He told investigators he was an over-the-road trucker and lives in his truck even when he was not actively working, police said. See Kelce Jam, One person killed, four others injured in crash in Kansas City, Kansas, Jury finds father guilty in 2017 fatal shooting of his childrens mother in Kansas City, Two charged for allegedly stealing NFL jerseys designated for top picks at NFL Draft, Woman found dead in Kansas City apartment on Saturday after caller alerted police, Three men killed in two shootings thought by police to be connected, KCPD says, In fatally shooting man in moving car, KCK cops used tactic discouraged by experts. And some say to the community. Remains found on Phelps' property during search. Do they - Blogger In partnership with Phelps and Norton were arrested back in September of 2021 after authorities say they obtained photos of Rainwater in a cage on Phelps property. Mystery as home where half-naked woman was allegedly caged burns down Phelps home was later burned to the ground after his arrest. Police have not yet given a motive for the grisly crime, but they say Phelps and Norton planned it in advance. Phelps and Norton were arrested in September 2021 after authorities say they obtained photos of Rainwater in a cage on Phelps property, as well as photos of Rainwater being dismembered and eviscerated. "Phelps stated he had not seen Cassidy since.". DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. 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. Dallas County Sheriff's Office Phelps' home was destroyed by fire on Oct. 4. A family member contacted the Dallas County Sheriffs Office saying they had not seen Rainwater or heard from her for an unspecified amount of time. ", They also found skeletal remains at an adjoining property, which "were confirmed by the crime lab to be Cassidy Rainwater.". The Springfield Bomb Squad removed the device without any injuries to those handling the device. I feel like theyre kind of taking the story and running with it and maybe making it hyped up to more than what it really is. A woman who knew Rainwater personally and knows of the suspects spoke with KY3 on the condition of anonymity. Norton stated he helped Phelps carry Cassidy's body into the house and placed her into the bathtub.". Rumours about what happened to Ms Rainwater forced Scott Rice, the Dallas County sheriff, to decry what he called Fake News on Facebook in October. Cassidy Rainwater, 33, was reported missing Aug. 25, and had last been seen six weeks earlier with Phelps. Messages between Phelps and Norton showed the two men planning the murder of Cassidy Rainwater, police said. In a Facebook post, Sheriff Rice addressed rumors in the investigation into the disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater. Missouri men accused of keeping missing woman in cage: records Investigators say they dismembered her body in a bathtub. 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A lawyer for Norton previously denied the kidnapping allegations and could not be reached on Thursday for comment on the murder charges. The home caught fire during the evening hours of Oct. 4. Cassidy was at the property looking for her missing mother. In reality, police say, the whole time Phelps claimed he was graciously letting Rainwater stay with him until she got back on her feet, he was actually plotting her murder. Two men are arrested for 'keeping partially-nude 33-year-old missing woman locked in a cage at their Missouri property' James Phelps and Timothy Norton allegedly restrained Cassidy Rainwater and . 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." He wrote that he was upset with social media and bloggers thinking they knew what happened. . James Phelps and Timothy Norton appeared in court Tuesday. Photos from FBI investigators that were included in court documents on Wednesday also showed her dismembered and semi-naked body that was allegedly strapped into a device. 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. Preliminary hearings for Phelps and Norton, originally set for the first week of February, have been postponed. Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice initially said it could be at least 30 days before any results are returned. Murder charges have been filed in Missouri against two men accused of killing and dismembering Cassidy Rainwater. Authorities searched the area to figure out how the fire started and if there could be more tripwires than one spotted near the home.
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