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James Phelps, 58, is charged alongside. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? 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. Investigators determined it to be arson. On the night of Oct. 4, a day before Phelps and Norton were scheduled to appear in court, Phelps' home burned to the ground. A judge approved the request one day later, per court records. 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 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Police found some inaccuracies in his story. 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. The public defenders did not request bond during the hearing. 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. A home belonging to James Phelps. 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. During the investigation, detectives identified Timothy Norton as being connected to the case. 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. Cassidy Rainwater, 33, was reported missing in late August, having been last seen with someone identified as James Rainwater. Norton's lawyer, Brenden Twibell, told the Springfield News-Leader the new charges were expected and Norton will plead not guilty. 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. Phelps will be in court in Dallas County on Friday . 24. No official motive in Rainwaters killing has been disclosed. He said that Rainwater had been talking about going to Colorado. 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. 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. An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. 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. When police followed up on this. 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. He told authorities she left in the middle of the night and never came back. In another strange development, on Oct. 4, a fire started at Phelps property where Rainwaters remains were found burned the house to the ground. What happened with Cassidy is something nobody should ever go through, said Sheriff Rice in an exclusive interview with KY3 on the following day. 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. Phelps is due in court this Friday, and Norton will appear on Nov. 23. Authorities arrested Phelps and then found the slew of evidence on his property that was revealed by the sheriffs office on Wednesday. Remains found on Phelps' property during search. Do they - Blogger Cassidy Rainwater's death and disappearance timeline - OzarksFirst.com DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. We could feel the heat, said Nicholson. He wrote: While I understand the impatience and curiosity of the people, Im going to give you a piece of advice. The RENPHO Foot Massager Machine may be just the gift to make Mothers Day extra special for your mom this year. 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. 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. 18:16 BST 18 Nov 2021. what really happened to Cassidy Rainwater. She was reported missing in late August 2021 by a woman named Cora Terry. How do I keep bugs off my patio this spring? Springfield City Officials say they dont have any further information at this time. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. 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. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. At one point, a Dallas County deputy found something that resembled a tripwire; thats when the Springfield bomb squad was sent to investigate. 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. Sheriff Scott Rice addressed the misinformation and rumors about the case in another Facebook post on Oct. 7. Breaks Down His Killer White House Correspondents Dinner Set, Pharrells Something in the Water Fest Cancels Final Day Due to Severe Weather, Stagecoach: Kane Brown Breaks Mental Health Stigma With 'Memory,' Talks Depression, Bernie Sanders: Many GOP Leaders 'Don't Even Believe in Democracy'. Per court records, James Phelps told police the last time he saw Cassidy was on this day. According to the Sheriffs Office, Norton was interviewed on Sept. 20, and eventually confessed to the murder of Rainwater. James Phelps . 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. "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. Murder charges have been filed in Missouri against two men accused of killing and dismembering Cassidy Rainwater . 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 . (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. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. The home accused kidnapper James Phelps was staying atburned to the ground late Mondaynight, and a bomb squad from Springfield was sent to investigate. Norton was arrested on September 20 after speaking to authorities. It was unclear Thursday if either man had gone before a judge to plead to the new murder charge. 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. During that interview, police said Norton confessed that he knew Cassidy Rainwater was being held at the home of James Phelps in a cage. Nms is the Arabic word (Greek "") of a concept of an ethical category, a virtue, in Middle Eastern patriarchal character. Woman missing for months as cannibalism rumors swirl; image of Days after Phelps arrest, Norton confessed to the FBI that he had murdered Rainwater. 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. 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. 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. A judge initially set a preliminary hearing in both for Nov. 5. 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. A probable cause statement says on September 16th, the FBI office in Kansas City received an. Norton reportedly assisted Phelps in carrying Rainwaters body back inside the residence and into a bathtub. The defense opposed this request based on state Supreme Court requirement that allows for only a 30-day period. Missouri man sentenced to life in Cassidy Rainwater killing | The The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History Geo resource failed to load. He noted there is a lot of misinformation circulating in the case. 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. Per court documents, investigators say Norton admitted that Phelps asked him to help kill Rainwater while she was staying at Phelps home. James Phelps assigned new judge to oversee Cassidy Rainwater kidnapping Rachel Nicholson, who moved to Lebanon recently, said she saw the home go up in flames from a distance. The Missouri State Fire Marshals Office launched an investigation after the fire caused a total loss to the home. 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. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Human Remains Found in Freezer in Case that Fueled TikTok Rumors KOLR-TV was in the courtroom Tuesday, and a judge set preliminary hearings for both men at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 5. Officials investigating the fire found two explosive devices made with mortar tubes and balloon covers, with tripwires attached, near the home. Ive been incredibly unsettled since the whole Menagerie started, she said. Porter anticipated Phelps' trial would occur in the summer of 2025, which would be four years after Rainwater's death. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. She asked us to conceal her identity for her protection. 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. Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. 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. 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 a Facebook post, Sheriff Rice addressed rumors in the investigation into the disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater. She would stop by, and she would talk to us when we were outside working. The next day, Timothy Norton was booked into the Dallas County Jail without bond. Cassidy was reported missing by a family member in August but reports say she was last seen on July 25th. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, were hit with the murder counts as well as being charged with abandonment of a corpse. 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. A trial date had not been set. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time She said she cant wrap her head around all of this. DNA tests returned to Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice confirmed Rainwaters flesh was found in a freezer. Authorities later learned that she was talking about James Phelps. A Dallas County deputy had alerted a firefighter after discovering a trip wire near the home. Deputies went to Phelps home at 386 Moon Valley Road near Windyville and asked if he knew Rainwater. 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. 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. Murder charges filed, gruesome details released in Cassidy Rainwater case. James Phelps appeared in court on Nov. 19, just two days after his amended charges. It was not immediately clear if Phelps had an attorney. 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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. 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 say they have no reason to believe there are any other victims associated with Phelps and Norton at this time.. Phelps was arrested and sent to the Dallas County Jail, where he is currently in custody. Additionally, 200 pieces of evidence were reportedly recovered, including digital evidence from electronic devices. One day later, police brought back Norton to interview him again. During that hearing, Judge John C. Porter ruled against a bond request filed by Phelps attorney. 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. Man Who Vanished Over a Month Ago Found in Barrel of Concrete, Pa. 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. Details about the death of a 33-year-old woman whose remains were discovered in a freezer have been revealed, a month after authorities asked online sleuths to stop speculating about her disappearance. On Sept. 1, a detective spoke to Phelps at his home in Lebanon. 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. 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. The address listed for him on online court systems and court documents showed the same address as James Phelps home on Moon Valley Road. 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. Dallas County Sheriff's Office Detectives then identified. Very few details on this case have been released by the Dallas County Sheriffs Office, including whether Cassidy Rainwater has been found. Norton confessed to the murder of Cassidy Rainwater. 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. Nortons attorney has said he intends to plead not guilty. Preliminary hearings for Phelps and Norton, originally set for the first week of February, have been postponed. Rice said Norton told investigators Phelps asked him to help kill Rainwater on July 24 while she was staying at Phelps' home. Rainwater, 33, was reported missing on Aug. 26, 2021, after having last been seen in mid-July. Missing Mo. Woman Cassidy Rainwater Was Kept in Cage Before Brutal Terms of Use | 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Cassidy Rainwater (Dallas County Sheriff's Department) Details about the death of a 33-year-old woman whose remains were discovered in a freezer have been revealed, a month after authorities. Norton stated he helped Phelps carry Cassidy's body into the house and placed her into the bathtub.". (KY3) - The worst fears of Cassidy Rainwater's family and friends were confirmed Wednesday. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The woman recalled Rainwater as being friendly. That home burned to the ground in early October 2021 and authorities ruled it arson. Missouri men James Phels, Timothy Norton charged with murdering Cassidy , updated Shes a member of the investigative team focusing on watchdog journalism. Missouri Mystery Over Cassidy Rainwater, Missing Woman Shown in a Cage Missing NC woman found dead in woods, police begin homicide investigation Someone reported her missing on Aug. 25. Nobody was hurt from the blaze, but authorities have not reported any arrests in the fire investigation. Norton is scheduled to be back in court May 2. Authorities have not shared many updates since confirming the death of Rainwater on Nov. 17. 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. On October 4, a fire that investigators have ruled an arson destroyed Phelps' home. Im continuing to pray for her family. He wrote that he was upset with social media and bloggers thinking they knew what happened. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been in custody since. 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. 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. In the weeks following the arrest, rumors spread on TikTok that the two men had been butchering humans and storing, even selling, their meat. Body parts found in a freezer in Missouri identified Cassidy Rainwater 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. Due to the nature of the plea, there was no criminal trial. Norton is scheduled to appear in Nov. 23 and Phelps on Nov. 19. An Alford plea does not admit guilt but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict if the case had gone to trial. Phelps' co-defendant, Timothy Norton, faces the same charges. Nov 17, 2021 Updated Dec 12, 2022. 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. On Sept. 16, the FBI contacted Dallas County detectives with the photographs. The defendants' attorneys could not be reached for comment. The next court hearings are currently set for Feb. 8 for Timothy Norton and Feb. 18 for James Phelps. Man charged in Cassidy Rainwater death enters plea, is sentenced to Cassidy Rainwaters alleged kidnappers have been unmasked as her alleged murderers, as police reveal the 33-year-olds brutal final moments. In September of 2021, Phelps was arrested after law enforcement received images that showed Rainwater in a cage and bound to a . The home Phelps rented on Moon Valley Road in Dallas County was burned to the ground in the late-evening hours. 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. 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.". Rainwater was last seen in July and was reported missing in late August. No motive has been revealed in connection with Rainwater's brutal killing. Phelps' case was moved to Jasper County last week. Authorities arrested Phelps and then found the slew of evidence on his property that was revealed by the sheriffs office on Wednesday. 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. Investigators ruled the blaze an arson and found two. Wiliams lives in Urbana, about half an hour away from the site of Monday nights fire. 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. Rainwater, 33, has been missing since late July, and court documents say investigators. New motions filed in James. Deputies searched around some properties in rural Dallas County, including the home connected to James Phelps on Moon Valley Road, for evidence in the investigation. Heres How, Roy Wood Jr. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. 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. Phelps is one of two suspects in the Cassidy Rainwater murder case. 2023 Telepictures Productions Inc. 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. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. Due to the nature of the plea, there was no criminal trial. 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. by: Ashley Eddy, Emilee Kuschel, Bailey Strohl, Chris Six, Carrie Winchel. 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 say Norton admitted to holding down Rainwaters legs while Phelps strangled her. There are as many as 23 remains being looked into. She says that she moved to Dallas County to get away from violence in Kansas City. James D. Phelps entered an Alford plea for a charge of first-degree murder in a Dallas County court today, April 28.