Additional reporting by The Associated Press. 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. 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. what really happened to Cassidy Rainwater. 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. Our team of reporters stayed in constant contact with Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice for updates in the disappearance of Rainwater. Messages between Phelps and Norton showed the two men planning the murder of Cassidy Rainwater, police said. James Phelps, 58, is charged alongside. Dallas County Sheriff's Office Detectives then identified. The new charges come after remains recovered at Phelps property just days after his arrest were positively identified as Rainwaters. Warning: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence. 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. During the investigation, detectives identified Timothy Norton as being connected to the case. against Timothy Norton, 56, and James Phelps, 58, in a statement on Facebook, and court documents reveal new disturbing details of the case. On Wednesday, the Dallas County Sheriffs Department announced the murder charges. 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 and Norton appeared before a Dallas County judge via a webcam over their kidnapping charges, represented by different public defenders. 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. We could feel the heat, said Nicholson. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. In the weeks following the arrest, rumors spread on TikTok that the two men had been butchering humans and storing, even selling, their meat. 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. 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. 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. Phelps and Norton were arrested back in September of 2021 after authorities say they obtained photos of Rainwater in a cage on Phelps property. There are as many as 23 remains being looked into. According to court documents, hed told agents Phelps asked him to come over while Rainwater was sleeping. 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. In a Facebook post, Sheriff Rice addressed rumors in the investigation into the disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater. More: Murder charges filed, gruesome details released in Cassidy Rainwater case. James D. Phelps entered an Alford plea for a charge of first-degree murder in a Dallas County court today, April 28. 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. KOLR-TV was in the courtroom Tuesday, and a judge set preliminary hearings for both men at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 5. 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. Norton is scheduled to be back in court May 2. 2023 Telepictures Productions Inc. The Springfield bomb squad arrived at the scene and detonated an explosive device near the fire. 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. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been charged with the kidnapping of Cassidy Rainwater. She wasnt reported missing to authorities until nearly one month later. Whether its a short vacation or theyre jetting off to begin their career, show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift. Per court records, James Phelps told police the last time he saw Cassidy was on this day. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. 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Police have not yet given a motive for the grisly crime, but they say Phelps and Norton planned it in advance. 2 Missouri Men Charged After Allegedly Kidnapping 33-Year-Old Woman and Keeping Her in a Cage, Inside the Phone Call Between Lori Vallow Daybell and Husband as Police Searched for Kids' Remains, Man Allegedly Killed Wanted Suspect in His Mother's Murder Before He Could Be Found by Police, Husband Who Allegedly Searched 'How Long Before a Body Starts to Smell' Indicted on Accusation He Killed Wife, Family Says Black Man Was Found Decapitated in Mississippi, Believes He Was Targeted by 'Lynch Mob', Wisconsin Woman Charged in 2022 Dismemberment Case Attacks Attorney at Competency Hearing, Washington, D.C., Police Sergeant Charged with Murder in Fatal Shooting of Man Asleep in Car, Texas Mom Allegedly Stabs 4-Year-Old Son to Death in Front of Her Mother; Both Women Charged, Missing Woman Found Possibly Dismembered in Texas; Suspect Allegedly Searched 'How to Be a Serial Killer', Dismembered Remains of N.C. 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According to court documents, investigators recovered more than 200 pieces of evidence at the home and determined that Rainwaters body had been dismembered. The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History 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. 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Court documents accuse Phelps and Norton of holding Cassidy Rainwater in a cage on Moon Valley Road near Windyville, Missouri. 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. Police interviewed Timothy Norton on the disappearance of Rainwater. 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. A judge approved the request one day later, per court records. Investigators confirmed they were waiting for DNA evidence to return in the disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater. Investigators ruled the fire as undetermined and criminal. James Phelps, one of two kidnapping suspects charged in the disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater, had previously rented the home. 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. 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. Phelps and Norton have been jailed on a kidnapping charge since mid-September, when photos of Rainwater partially nude and confined to a cage were found on Phelps' phone, authorities said. The investigation remains ongoing. Because of both the complexity of death penalty cases and full case loads for a small staff, they tend to be more drawn out. I cant fathom what her family is experiencing and Im heartily sorry that it happened so close to my home.. Norton further said that Phelps had contacted Norton to come to Phelps home, an affidavit said. Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com (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. Dallas County Sheriff's Office Phelps' home was destroyed by fire on Oct. 4. 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. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. By Phelps was arrested at the scene on Sept. 16. Due to the nature of the plea, there was no criminal trial. Nov 17, 2021 Updated Dec 12, 2022. Phelps, 60, is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and abandonment of a corpse in the case of 33-year-old Cassidy Rainwater. The defense opposed this request based on state Supreme Court requirement that allows for only a 30-day period. According to court documents cited by WDAF-TV, Phelps reportedly provided inconsistent statements during his interviews with detectives. During the investigation, detectives identified Timothy Norton as being connected to the case. If these people have committed such horrible crimes as they are accused, I hope the legal system prosecutes them to the fullest extent, said the woman. The woman was described as sleeping when the attack took place. What happened with Cassidy is something nobody should ever go through, said Sheriff Rice in an exclusive interview with KY3 on the following day. 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. She was reported missing by a relative on August 25th. 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. This was less than 24 hours after the home where Phelps was staying burned to the ground. 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. 7. . Also on Friday, according to online court records, Judge Jill Porter sentenced Phelps to life in prison with no chance for parole. 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. Nms is the Arabic word (Greek "") of a concept of an ethical category, a virtue, in Middle Eastern patriarchal character. Sheriff Rice said Phelps were classmates in school and friends for several decades. ", The statement adds: "Detectives recognized items in Phelps back yard that coincided with the photos. "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. According to a statement from the Dallas County Sheriff's Office, Norton allegedly "confessed to the murder of Cassidy Rainwater," who was reported missing on Aug. 25. (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. An . Norton is scheduled to appear in Dallas County for a hearing May 2. Per court records, that is when he admitted details to authorities about restraining Rainwater back in July. The bomb squad arrived around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday and shortly after, they detonated an explosive device near the area of the fire. Investigators ruled the blaze an arson and found two. Norton was arrested Sept. 21. Dallas County Judge Jill Porter sentenced Phelps to life in prison without parole. She would stop by, and she would talk to us when we were outside working. 24. , updated - The County Prosecutor files murder charges in the Cassidy Rainwater case in southwest Missouri. They had previously been charged with kidnapping. Federal investigators said no one has seen Cassidy Rainwater since July. At the time he told investigators he had not seen. A judge initially set a preliminary hearing in both for Nov. 5. A home belonging to James Phelps. 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. 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. Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice initially said it could be at least 30 days before any results are returned. In partnership with Investigators say they dismembered her body in a bathtub. "Phelps stated he had not seen Cassidy since.". "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. Her mother's body was found in 2008 in Laclede County. How do I keep bugs off my patio this spring? Sheriff Rice said more of her remains were found scattered on a nearby property belonging to her grandfather Bill Rainwater. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Phelps' cellphone and uncovered pictures of Rainwater partially nude being held in a cage on Phelps' property. Some skeletal remains believed to be Rainwater were located on the adjacent property, authorities said. 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. Those items were dated July 24. During that interview, police said Norton confessed that he knew Cassidy Rainwater was being held at the home of James Phelps in a cage. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. The two later carried her dismembered body inside to the bathtub. The Sheriffs Office said in a news release that a crime lab confirmed the remains recovered from the freezer were Rainwaters. Two men were charged with first-degree murder on Wednesday after human remains found inside a freezer at a Missouri home were positively identified through DNA testing as Cassidy Rainwater, who was photographed half-naked inside a cage after she went missing before suffering a grisly death. Phelps is scheduled to be back in court May 19, while Norton is scheduled to be back in court May 2. When police followed up on this. 24. One of two southwest Missouri men charged in the gruesome killing of a woman who authorities say was kept in a cage entered a plea on Friday. James Phelps and Timothy Norton appeared in court Tuesday. In September her accused kidnappers were arrested and charged and in October the two men appeared in court. 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They allegedly recovered messages between Phelps and Norton planning Rainwaters murder on Jul. The detective noticed the loft on the property looked like it had been stripped, and they did not notice any belongings of Cassidys at the loft at that time. I am very upset by it.. Several hours later, the bomb squad detonated the suspicious device. Phelps will appear in court Friday. Dallas County Judge Lisa Henderson was initially expected to hear the cases of Phelps and co-defendant Timothy Norton. Heres How, Roy Wood Jr. (KY3) - One of two men accused of kidnapping and killing Cassidy Rainwater in Dallas County entered an Alford plea for first-degree murder. Im continuing to pray for her family. 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. Members of the surrounding community are still without answers, and some are turning to any source of information they can get. The Missouri State Fire Marshals Office launched an investigation after the fire caused a total loss to the home. According to the Kansas City Star, the kidnapping charge was upgraded on Wednesday to first-degree murder and abandonment of a corpse. 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 . Authorities say they have no reason to believe there are any other victims associated with Phelps and Norton at this time.. According to the Sheriffs Office, Norton was interviewed on Sept. 20, and eventually confessed to the murder of Rainwater. 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. On Sept. 16, investigators received a search warrant for James Phelps cellphone, and court records say they found seven photos of Cassidy Rainwater partially nude being held in a cage on his property on Moon Valley Road in Lebanon in Dallas County. 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. One day later, police brought back Norton to interview him again. Investigators say DNA testing identified her remains. 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. 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. I dont think Cassidy would have ever run off without keeping in contact with her family, she said. Two weeks ago, FBI investigators from Kansas City got an anonymous tip that someone was holding Rainwater in a cage on some property near Lebanon. 18:16 BST 18 Nov 2021. The home Phelps rented on Moon Valley Road in Dallas County was burned to the ground in the late-evening hours. The men also were charged with abandonment of a corpse. 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. Sheriff's deputies were contacted in late August by a woman who said Rainwater hadn't been seen for a month and Phelps was the last person she was seen with. It was unclear Thursday if either man had gone before a judge to plead to the new murder charge. Everything was on fire, and we sat there and watched it collapse. If you want a pest-free patio this spring, the most important thing you can do is take away those elements that bugs find desirable. 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.".

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