(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. An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. Nearly four months after Cassidy Rainwater went missing, the Dallas County prosecutor officially upgraded charges against Phelps and Norton. Missing Mo. Woman Cassidy Rainwater Was Kept in Cage Before Brutal Privacy Policy | 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. Deputies searched the property for seven days, according to the Dallas County Sheriffs Department. Some skeletal remains believed to be Rainwater were located on the adjacent property, authorities said. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Attorneys filed a motion to request a change in the criminal case of James Phelps, one of two men accused in the kidnapping of Cassidy Rainwater. Cassidy Rainwater (Dallas County Sheriff's Office) Some of Rainwater's remains were found in an adjacent property and in a freezer with "7-24" written on them, authorities said. Heres How, Roy Wood Jr. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. I cant fathom what her family is experiencing and Im heartily sorry that it happened so close to my home.. Two men are charged with her murder after photos showed her evisceration and dismemberment By Andrea Marks November 18,. On Sept. 1, a detective spoke to Phelps at his home in Lebanon. Some of the woman's body parts were later found in a freezer, he said. Dallas County authorities said James Phelps and Timothy Norton kidnapped Ms Rainwater around the time of her disappearance, allegedly forcing her into a cage. Rachel Nicholson, who moved to Lebanon recently, said she saw the home go up in flames from a distance. Cassidy Rainwater, 33, was reported missing Aug. 25, and had last been seen six weeks earlier with Phelps. Authorities have said there is no reason to believe that there are other victims associated with Mr Phelps and Mr Norton, and that the investigation is ongoing. Police interviewed Timothy Norton on the disappearance of Rainwater. Cassidy Rainwater case: Suspect makes plea, gets life in prison James Phelps and Timothy Norton were arrested in September and charged with the kidnapping of Cassidy Rainwater. In her 25-year career, Lauras stories on child welfare, human trafficking, crime and Kansas secrecy have been nationally recognized. Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com
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. When police followed up on this. Cassidy Rainwater's death and disappearance timeline - OzarksFirst.com The woman was described as sleeping when the attack took place. Body parts found in a freezer in Missouri identified Cassidy Rainwater , updated After entering, they say, Norton said he held Cassidys legs down while Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head.. Upon further investigation, digital messages were reportedly found revealing Phelps' and Timothy Nortons plans to murder Rainwater. 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. Rainwater was last seen alive in mid-July. (KY3) - A man has been arrested in the case of missing woman Cassidy Rainwater. 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. Dallas County Sheriff's Office Phelps' home was destroyed by fire on Oct. 4. 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. 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. That home burned to the ground in early October 2021 and authorities ruled it arson. 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 - The County Prosecutor files murder charges in the Cassidy Rainwater case in southwest Missouri. Phelps is one of two suspects in the Cassidy Rainwater murder case. KY3 spoke to a woman who lives near the home. 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Cassidy Rainwaters alleged kidnappers have been unmasked as her alleged murderers, as police reveal the 33-year-olds brutal final moments. An . Fire crews from multiple stations were working to put out hotspots. It appears that the land has been in the Phelps family for years as multiple people have used that address, according to online court records. 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. Investigators ruled the blaze an arson and found two. 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. Murder charges have been filed in Missouri against two men accused of killing and dismembering Cassidy Rainwater. (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. 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. The public defenders did not request bond during the hearing. He told investigators he was an over-the-road trucker and lives in his truck even when he was not actively working, police said. And some say to the community. Cassidy was at the property looking for her missing mother. Phelps' trial moved to Jasper County in case of Rainwater death 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. No official motive in Rainwaters killing has been disclosed. They had previously been charged with kidnapping. According to the Kansas City Star, the kidnapping charge was upgraded on Wednesday to first-degree murder and abandonment of a corpse. 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. 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Woman Accused of Killing and Dismembering Parents with Chainsaw, Burning Body Found in Fire Pit Following Welfare Check on Missouri Student with Autism, and Woman Is Charged, Brian Walshe, Husband of Missing Mass. According to the Sheriffs Office, Norton was interviewed on Sept. 20, and eventually confessed to the murder of Rainwater. According to authorities in Missouri, Cassidy Rainwater went missing in late July and was kidnapped and allegedly caged by two men who were charged for her murder on Wednesday. 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(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. Kansas City police are asking for help finding 22-year-old Kevontay Watson who is missing. On Sept. 16, the FBI contacted Dallas County detectives with the photographs. ", 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. Due to the nature of the plea, there was no criminal trial. During the hearing, prosecutors asked for 45 days until the preliminary hearing due to the number of witnesses needed. 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. Missouri Mystery Over Cassidy Rainwater, Missing Woman Shown in a Cage Skeletal remains believed to be Rainwaters were located on the adjacent property. In a Facebook post, Sheriff Rice addressed rumors in the investigation into the disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater. 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. He told authorities she left in the middle of the night and never came back. She was reported missing by a relative on August 25th. . The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History 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. In partnership with I am very upset by it.. Where is Cassidy Rainwater? - The Crime Scene - Blogger Rainwater was last seen alive in mid-July. According to court records, attorneys for Norton filed a motion to address his bond and possibly seek a release from jail, though the motion was not approved. Dallas County Judge Lisa Henderson was initially expected to hear the cases of Phelps and co-defendant Timothy Norton. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. I dont understand what makes people get like that, says Williams. James D. Phelps, 60, was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and abandonment of a corpse . Sheriff Scott Rice addressed the misinformation and rumors about the case in another Facebook post on Oct. 7. A probable cause statement says on September 16th, the FBI office in Kansas City received an. He said hed held Rainwaters legs while Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head. Federal investigators said no one has seen Cassidy Rainwater since July. ", They also found skeletal remains at an adjoining property, which "were confirmed by the crime lab to be Cassidy Rainwater.". Dallas County land records show that the Rainwater family still owns land that surrounds the unsecured crime scene. what really happened to Cassidy Rainwater. Authorities said Norton told them that he knew that Rainwater was being held at the home of Phelps and that she had been kept in a cage, court records show. Phelps home was later burned to the ground after his arrest. Warrant: 7 photos found of caged partially nude missing woman; suspect While on Phelps' property, detectives also found items in the backyard that "coincided with the photos," the Sheriffs Office said. Cassidy Rainwater Dallas County Sheriff's Office That tip led the FBI to Dallas County, about 160 miles southeast of Kansas City, and launched what became a secretive, weeks-long criminal. On Sept. 16, the FBI received an anonymous tip about photos that appeared to depict a partially clothed Rainwater confined to a cage. Mystery as home where half-naked woman was allegedly caged burns down 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. The plea came several days after Phelps was granted a change of venue with parties agreeing to move his trial to Jasper County because of extensive media coverage in Dallas County. I dont think Cassidy would have ever run off without keeping in contact with her family, she said. Terms of Use | 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. 18:16 BST 18 Nov 2021. A woman who knew Rainwater personally and knows of the suspects spoke with KY3 on the condition of anonymity. Cassidy Rainwater was last seen in mid-July. Missouri men accused of keeping missing woman locked in cage - WREG.com DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. 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.". More details released in Rainwater case, murder charges filed Rainwater, 33, was reported missing on Aug. 26, 2021, after having last been seen in mid-July. 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 . Cassidy Rainwater: Everything we know about her disappearance, the Case of Missing Woman Allegedly Held Captive Half-Naked in - Newsweek Very few details on this case have been released by the Dallas County Sheriffs Office, including whether Cassidy Rainwater has been found. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. Phelps was arrested at the scene on Sept. 16. Investigators say they dismembered her body in a bathtub. Missouri woman photographed partially clothed in cage before being 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. More: Murder charges filed, gruesome details released in Cassidy Rainwater case. The home caught fire during the evening hours of Oct. 4. The address listed for him on online court systems and court documents showed the same address as James Phelps home on Moon Valley Road. Sheriffs officials have said that Phelps said he did but that he hadnt spoken to her in roughly a month. Whether its a short vacation or theyre jetting off to begin their career, show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift. The next day, Timothy Norton was booked into the Dallas County Jail without bond. 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. 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. According to a news release from the Dallas County Sheriffs Office, other photos depicted "Cassidys body bound to a gantry crane, commonly used for deer processing, and her evisceration and dismemberment.". All a sudden, the house collapsed and the flames got bigger. That man, James Phelps, had initially been arrested and charged with kidnapping Rainwater in September, along with another man named Timothy Norton, a trucker who had been living on Phelps property. The defendants' attorneys could not be reached for comment. Man charged in Cassidy Rainwater death enters plea, is sentenced to Those items were dated July 24. Phelps' co-defendant, Timothy Norton, faces the same charges. To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. In another strange development, on Oct. 4, a fire started at Phelps property where Rainwaters remains were found burned the house to the ground. 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. 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. An Alford plea does not admit guilt but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict if the case had gone to trial. Men arrested for 'keeping partially-nude woman locked in a cage at 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. Messages between Phelps and Norton showed the two men planning the murder of Cassidy Rainwater, police said. On Sept. 16, 2021, the Dallas County Sheriffs Office received intel from the FBI that led them to James Phelps' property in Windyville. Norton reportedly assisted Phelps in carrying Rainwaters body back inside the residence and into a bathtub. They allegedly recovered messages between Phelps and Norton planning Rainwaters murder on Jul. Norton is scheduled to be back in court May 2. Cassidy Rainwater murder suspect gets life in prison. Deputies went to Phelps home at 386 Moon Valley Road near Windyville and asked if he knew Rainwater. 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. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? On Wednesday, the Dallas County Sheriffs Department announced the murder charges. The Springfield Bomb Squad removed the device without any injuries to those handling the device. Sheriff Rice said more of her remains were found scattered on a nearby property belonging to her grandfather Bill Rainwater.
In September, Phelps twice told investigators that Rainwater was staying with him while she got on her feet, but he said he hadn't seen her since she left about a month ago and that she was going to Colorado, Rice said. 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 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. 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. Im continuing to pray for her family. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been charged with the kidnapping of Cassidy Rainwater. Phelps' case was moved to Jasper County last week. Waiting for your permission to load facebook comments. Phelps' house later burned to the ground in what investigators determined was arson.