While on Phelps' property, detectives also found items in the backyard that "coincided with the photos," the Sheriffs Office said. Authorities say they have no reason to believe there are any other victims associated with Phelps and Norton at this time.. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. Both Phelps and Norton appeared via a video conference call from the Dallas County Jail. Investigators say Norton admitted to holding down Rainwaters legs while Phelps strangled her. Officials investigating the fire found two explosive devices made with mortar tubes and balloon covers, with tripwires attached, near the home. Court documents accuse Phelps and Norton of holding Cassidy Rainwater in a cage on Moon Valley Road near Windyville, Missouri. The Springfield Bomb Squad removed the device without any injuries to those handling the device. They allegedly recovered messages between Phelps and Norton planning Rainwaters murder on Jul. On Sept. 1, a detective spoke to Phelps at his home in Lebanon. The home Phelps rented on Moon Valley Road in Dallas County was burned to the ground in the late-evening hours. The case had already taken a very dark turn in September, when details trickled out about Rainwater being held captive and semi-naked in a cage on Phelps property. Cassidy Rainwater's remains found on accused kidnappers' property in Missouri, court docs reveal During a search, investigators on the scene of the Moon Valley Road property found the. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. Cassidy Rainwater murder suspect gets life in prison. - The County Prosecutor files murder charges in the Cassidy Rainwater case in southwest Missouri. Sheriffs officials have said that Phelps said he did but that he hadnt spoken to her in roughly a month. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. After receiving the information from the FBI, deputies went back out to Moon Valley Road and recognized items in Phelps backyard that coincided with the photos.. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been in custody since mid-September, charged with first-degree kidnapping, facilitating a felony, inflicting injury and terrorizing. 16:05 BST 18 Nov 2021 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. 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. Cassidy Rainwater, 33, was reported missing Aug. 25, and had last been seen six weeks earlier with Phelps. 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.. Investigators found them. Laura Bauer came to The Star in 2005 after spending much of her life in southwest Missouri. DNA tests returned to Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice confirmed Rainwaters flesh was found in a freezer. Police have now upped the charges against both men to first-degree murder. On the night of Oct. 4, a day before Phelps and Norton were scheduled to appear in court, Phelps' home burned to the ground. 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. Norton was interviewed again on Sept. 20 at the Dallas County Sheriffs Office. 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. 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. Investigators determined it to be arson. Phelps is due in court this Friday, and Norton will appear on Nov. 23. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. ", They also found skeletal remains at an adjoining property, which "were confirmed by the crime lab to be 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. The next court hearings are currently set for Feb. 8 for Timothy Norton and Feb. 18 for James Phelps. 2 killed, 4 wounded in Mississippi shooting; man arrested, 150 years later, Dixon bridge tragedy among nation's worst, Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says he wants to 'shut down the FBI' and replace it with something that sounds a lot like the FBI, Sanders: Biden could win in a landslide, Sunny Hostin Responded To Meghan McCain's Recent Scathing Criticism Of "The View" And Thinks She'd Be Great For "Housewives", Possible tornado damage in Fort Hood, Texas, Colts chart new QB path with 1st-round pick Richardson. Sheriff Rice said Phelps were classmates in school and friends for several decades. Kansas City police are asking for help finding 22-year-old Kevontay Watson who is missing. Those items were dated July 24. The RENPHO Foot Massager Machine may be just the gift to make Mothers Day extra special for your mom this year. He said that Cassidy had been staying with him until she could get back on her feet, court records say. The FBI passed along information Thursday that led to the arrest of James Phelps, 58, at a. On Sept. 16, the FBI contacted Dallas County detectives with the photographs. A trial date had not been set. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. It was not immediately clear if Phelps had an attorney. 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. 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. Murder charges have been filed in Missouri against two men accused of killing and dismembering Cassidy Rainwater. 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. She says that she moved to Dallas County to get away from violence in Kansas City. 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. On September 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. She would stop by, and she would talk to us when we were outside working. The defense opposed this request based on state Supreme Court requirement that allows for only a 30-day period. A home belonging to James Phelps. Porter anticipated Phelps' trial would occur in the summer of 2025, which would be four years after Rainwater's death. 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. 24. 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. Her mother's body was found in 2008 in Laclede County. Phelps home was later burned to the ground after his arrest. The new charges included first-degree murder and abandonment of a corpse after DNA tests returned to the Dallas County Sheriffs Office confirmed the death of Rainwater. Nortons attorney has said he intends to plead not guilty. Cassidy Rainwater's remains found on accused kidnappers' property in Missouri, court docs reveal During a search, investigators on the scene of the Moon Valley Road property found the. Im continuing to pray for her family. Norton is said to have told investigators that Phelps then bound her to the gantry crane and dismembered her. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. Warner Bros. Entertainment | , updated Cassidy Rainwaters alleged kidnappers have been unmasked as her alleged murderers, as police reveal the 33-year-olds brutal final moments. In another strange development, on Oct. 4, a fire started at Phelps property where Rainwaters remains were found burned the house to the ground. That is when the Dallas County Sheriffs Office opened the investigation into her disappearance. Norton is scheduled to appear in court next Tuesday. In a Springfield Bomb Squad report, investigators said they found an incendiary device during a fire at the home connected to James Phelps. The Missouri State Fire Marshals Office launched an investigation after the fire caused a total loss to the home. On Sept. 16, an FBI agent in Kansas City contacted detectives in the Sheriff's Department after receiving an anonymous tip about photos that allegedly showed Rainwater being held in a cage, reported CBS affiliate KFVS in Cape Girardeau, Mo. 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. In the report, investigators claimed they found the explosive device in a mortar tube with a balloon cover, which featured tripwires. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. He noted there is a lot of misinformation circulating in the case. That home burned to the ground in early October 2021 and authorities ruled it arson. 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. Investigators say DNA testing identified her remains. Phelps is one of two suspects in the Cassidy Rainwater murder case. He said she had been talking about going to Colorado. No motive has been revealed in connection with Rainwater's brutal killing. 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 . ", The statement adds: "Detectives recognized items in Phelps back yard that coincided with the photos. 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. He wrote: While I understand the impatience and curiosity of the people, Im going to give you a piece of advice. 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 the 33-year-old woman was dead, "he and Phelps took a short break before carrying her body outside," according to the statement. The investigation remains ongoing. Some skeletal remains believed to be Rainwater were located on the adjacent property, authorities said. A report, first obtained by local news outlet, Murder Charges Filed, Human Remains Found in Missouri Case That Fueled Gruesome TikTok Rumors, It Is Easy for a Person to Disappear: Accused Murderer Suggests Missing Wife Ran Away, E. 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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. (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. Waiting for your permission to load facebook comments. 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. Both remain jailed in Dallas County. On September 16, the FBI provided the photos of Rainwater to Dallas County detectives, who arrested Phelps. Deputies went to Phelps home at 386 Moon Valley Road near Windyville and asked if he knew Rainwater. They had previously been charged with kidnapping. The Sheriffs Office said in a news release that a crime lab confirmed the remains recovered from the freezer were Rainwaters. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. When police followed up on this tip, they found seven photos on Phelps phone that led to his arrest. On Sept. 16, the FBI contacted Dallas County detectives with the photographs. I refuse to do it | Opinion, Clark Hunt says hes surprised Chiefs players griped about facilities. Digital. Authorities say remains found at the southwest Missouri home were those of a missing woman, 33-year-old Cassidy Rainwater. Norton was arrested on September 20 after speaking to authorities. Phelps was arrested and sent to the Dallas County Jail, where he is currently in custody. In September of 2021, Phelps was arrested after law enforcement received images that showed Rainwater in a cage and bound to a . Williams says that a lack of information coming from investigating authorities is leading an entire community to speculate. The two later carried her dismembered body inside to the bathtub. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. On Sept. 16, the FBI received an anonymous tip about photos that appeared to depict a partially clothed Rainwater confined to a cage. On Nov. 17, the Dallas County prosecutor filed first-degree murder charges against James Phelps and Timothy Norton in Rainwaters death. Cassidy Rainwater The last person to see her was Phelps, who had been interviewed by officers right after the missing person's report was filed. The following week, Polk County Judge John C. Porter took on the case. How do I keep bugs off my patio this spring? The next day, Timothy Norton was booked into the Dallas County Jail without bond. Per court records, James Phelps told police the last time he saw Cassidy was on this day. Phelps' co-defendant, Timothy Norton, faces the same charges. "Norton stated that Phelps bound her to the gantry crane and Phelps began evisceration and dismemberment of Cassidy's body. The flesh from the freezer also yielded a DNA match for Rainwater. (TCD) -- Two Missouri men accused of kidnapping Cassidy Rainwater also face murder charges after Rainwaters dismembered remains were found in a freezer and on a nearby property. Man Accused of Killing, Dismembering a Mother of 2 Who'd Recently Moved in with Him. At the time he told investigators he had not seen. James D. Phelps, 60, was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and abandonment of a corpse . A van was found on the property that is similar to the van linked to the 3 missing women from 1992. 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.". Everything was on fire, and we sat there and watched it collapse. Phelps lawyer has not commented on the previous charges and did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the murder charges. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, were hit with the murder counts as well as being charged with abandonment of a corpse. 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. The address listed for him on online court systems and court documents showed the same address as James Phelps home on Moon Valley Road. 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In partnership with Our team of reporters stayed in constant contact with Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice for updates in the disappearance of Rainwater. TIMELINE: The death and disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater in Dallas County, Mo. Phelps then said that Rainwater had been staying with him until she could get back on her feet, according to the probable-cause statement related to the initial charges filed against Phelps. 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. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. Police have not yet given a motive for the grisly crime, but they say Phelps and Norton planned it in advance. (TCD) -- Two Missouri men accused of kidnapping Cassidy Rainwateralso face murder charges after Rainwater's dismembered remains were found in a freezer and on a nearby property. 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.". She wasnt reported missing to authorities until nearly one month later. According to court documents cited by WDAF-TV, Phelps reportedly provided inconsistent statements during his interviews with detectives. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been charged with the kidnapping of Cassidy Rainwater. He is diagnosed with autism, is non-verbal and has medical conditions that require care. Rainwater was last seen alive in mid-July. against Timothy Norton, 56, and James Phelps, 58, in a statement on Facebook, and court documents reveal new disturbing details of the case. Norton said he held Rainwater down while Phelps put a plastic bag over her head and strangled her, according to Rice. Cassidy Rainwater, the missing Missouri woman who was allegedly kidnapped in the Ozarks and kept in a cage, has ties to the Kansas City area. Norton was arrested Sept. 21. During these upcoming court proceedings, a range of documents and evidence could be presented to the judges, defense and prosecution before the cases head to trial. According to court documents, investigators recovered more than 200 pieces of evidence at the home and determined that Rainwaters body had been dismembered. 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 additional court documents released in September, KY3 learned that Timothy Norton was called to the house by James Phelps one day earlier for help in restraining Cassidy Rainwater. The home caught fire during the evening hours of Oct. 4. Per court records, that is when he admitted details to authorities about restraining Rainwater back in July. A lawyer for Norton previously denied the kidnapping allegations and could not be reached on Thursday for comment on the murder charges. Phelps told police at the time that Rainwater had been staying with him until she could get back on her feet, according to court documents, and that she had talked about going to Colorado before disappearing in the middle of the night about a month earlier. A search warrant executed at Phelps home uncovered photos of a partially clothed female in a cage who we recognized as Cassidy, police said in a statement Wednesday. This was less than 24 hours after the home where Phelps was staying burned to the ground. Due to the nature of the plea, there was no criminal trial. Members of the surrounding community are still without answers, and some are turning to any source of information they can get. Phelps and Norton appeared before a Dallas County judge via a webcam over their kidnapping charges, represented by different public defenders. During the investigation, detectives identified Timothy Norton as being connected to the case. 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. The Law Did Not Treat Them Kindly. Warning: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence. Cassidy Rainwater's remains were found labeled "7-24" in a freezer. Cassidy Rainwater's remains were recently identified. Authorities have not shared many updates since confirming the death of Rainwater on Nov. 17. 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. BUFFALO, Mo. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. what really happened to Cassidy Rainwater.

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