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. According to court documents, Phelps told the detective that about a month prior, Cassidy left in the middle of the night and met a vehicle at the end of the driveway in the dark and had not been seen or heard from since. The Missouri State Fire Marshals Office launched an investigation after the fire caused a total loss to the home. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. Per court records, that is when he admitted details to authorities about restraining Rainwater back in July. "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. They allegedly recovered messages between Phelps and Norton planning Rainwaters murder on Jul. She was reported missing in late August 2021 by a woman named Cora Terry. James D. Phelps, 60, was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and abandonment of a corpse . Authorities searched the area to figure out how the fire started and if there could be more tripwires than one spotted near the home. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Phelps' cellphone and uncovered pictures of Rainwater partially nude being held in a cage on Phelps' property. Days after Phelps arrest, Norton confessed to the FBI that he had murdered Rainwater. It is not a good idea to listen to a crime reporter/blogger or Tik Tok videos. Upon further investigation, digital messages were reportedly found revealing Phelps' and Timothy Nortons plans to murder Rainwater. Shes a member of the investigative team focusing on watchdog journalism. Phelps' house later burned to the ground in what investigators determined was arson. The Sheriffs Office said in a news release that a crime lab confirmed the remains recovered from the freezer were Rainwaters. During that hearing, Judge John C. Porter ruled against a bond request filed by Phelps attorney. 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. Terms of Use | I dont think Cassidy would have ever run off without keeping in contact with her family, she said. On Sept. 16, the FBI contacted Dallas County detectives with the photographs. 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. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. Warning: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence. Investigators ruled the blaze an arson and found two. 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. What happened with Cassidy is something nobody should ever go through, said Sheriff Rice in an exclusive interview with KY3 on the following day. James Phelps . 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. 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. 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. The red dot is where Phelps' cabin sits. 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. Mr Norton will reportedly plead not guilty and appear in court on Friday, after admitting that he strangled Ms Rainwater, according to Fox4. 24. No motive has been revealed in connection with Rainwater's brutal killing. The remarks followed a fire at the home of Mr Phelps in October, with investigators finding tripwires at the property. The woman was described as sleeping when the attack took place. Skeletal remains believed to be Rainwaters were located on the adjacent property. It was not immediately clear if Phelps had an attorney. On Wednesday, the Dallas County Sheriffs Department announced the murder charges. She was reported missing by a relative on August 25th. 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. 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. That home burned to the ground in early October 2021 and authorities ruled it arson. A judge approved the request one day later, per court records. TIMELINE: The death and disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater in Dallas County, Mo. When police followed up on this. 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. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time The flesh from the freezer also yielded a DNA match for Rainwater. Preliminary hearings for Phelps and Norton, originally set for the first week of February, have been postponed. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, were hit with the murder counts as well as being charged with abandonment of a corpse. Phelps will appear in court Friday. 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All a sudden, the house collapsed and the flames got bigger. Police found some inaccuracies in his story. Murder charges filed, gruesome details released in Cassidy Rainwater case. 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. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. 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. In another strange development, on Oct. 4, a fire started at Phelps property where Rainwaters remains were found burned the house to the ground. 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's remains were found labeled "7-24" in a freezer. She asked us to conceal her identity for her protection. Phelps' case was moved to Jasper County last week. 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.". Phelps, 58, was arrested on September 16 after investigators found seven photos on his phone showing Rainwater half-naked and being held in a cage at his home in Lebanon, Missouri. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. How do I keep bugs off my patio this spring? (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. 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. At a nearby property, the Sheriffs Office said uncovered skeletal remains were believed to be Rainwaters. One day later, police brought back Norton to interview him again. Messages between Phelps and Norton showed the two men planning the murder of Cassidy Rainwater, police said. 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.". 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. A home belonging to James Phelps. Police interviewed Timothy Norton on the disappearance of Rainwater. Norton stated he helped Phelps carry Cassidy's body into the house and placed her into the bathtub.". The defense opposed this request based on state Supreme Court requirement that allows for only a 30-day period. On Sept. 16, 2021, the Dallas County Sheriffs Office received intel from the FBI that led them to James Phelps' property in Windyville. Fire crews from multiple stations were working to put out hotspots. Wiliams lives in Urbana, about half an hour away from the site of Monday nights fire. Two men are charged with her murder after photos showed her evisceration and dismemberment By Andrea Marks November 18,. At one point, a Dallas County deputy found something that resembled a tripwire; thats when the Springfield bomb squad was sent to investigate. 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. 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.
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