New Chief doesn't last 30 days!


New Haven Police Department dissolves after new chief resigns amid his concerns about evidence handling February 7th, 2024 On Jan. 8, Police Chief John Hallquist was sworn in. He resigned on Jan. 31. NEW HAVEN, Mo. — The City of New Haven, Missouri, dissolved its police department after the chief suddenly resigned. New Haven is in Franklin County, ...

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You threw what in the dumpster?


City issues new policy in wake of police scandalDrug evidence was found disposed in city dumpster December 21st, 2023 The City of Fayette and the Fayette Police Department announced Thursday morning sweeping changes to its policy regarding the destruction of evidence. The changes come in the wake of a scandal within the department after old case ev...

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Why does it almost always take a scandal to make changes?


Former Deputy Admits to Evidence Tampering September 6th, 2023 It's 20 years in prison for a former Leake County sheriff's deputy who was arrested last year in an evidence tampering investigation that led to dozens of drug cases being dismissed. Justin Moore admitted his guilt in court yesterday. He had been indicted on 31 counts of evidence tamper...

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Canton Police Department under Federal investigation


Numerous instances of illegal behavior over the past 8 years, including cash, drugs and even a weapon taken from the Department's evidence room.Enter Headline here August 12, 2023 Lewis County authorities say they've asked the U.S. Attorney's office in St. Louis to investigate the Canton Police Department, after numerous instances of illegal behavi...

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Investigation finds evidence tampering, missing drugs at Canton Police Department


The question remains--how does the Canton Police Department regain the trust from the community?Enter Headline here August 4, 2023 The Canton Police Department was put under investigation in May of 2022 after Canton Mayor Jarrod Phillips reported a number of employees had resigned. The investigation found over the course of seven years there has be...

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Former Chillicothe Police officer pleads “Not Guilty” to three counts of theft


A former Chillicothe Police officer entered a plea of not guilty to three counts of felony stealing $750 or more in Livingston County court on April 19th. Thirty-nine-year-old Jeremy Don Stephens of Brookfield waived formal arraignment. The case was continued to July 14th for a plea or trial setting. A probable cause statement from the Highway Patr...

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Former Chillicothe Police officer faces 3 felony counts of theft in Livingston County


A probable cause statement accuses Stephens of stealing $2,103 cash and two handguns from the Chillicothe Police Department evidence room while he was employed as an evidence officer March 3, 2023 A former Chillicothe Police officer faces three felony counts in Livingston County of stealing $750 or more following an investigation by the Highway Pat...

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St. Louis police ask judge to force city's top prosecutor to clear evidence shelves of drugs


SLMPD filed a petition in court asking a judge to force the CAO to review about 6,890 cases involving drugs and determine which drugs can be destroyed. November 6, 2022 ST. LOUIS (KMOV) -- The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department wants the city's Circuit Attorney's Office to clear evidence shelves of drugs related to thousands of cases. SLMPD f...

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Charges filed after more evidence reportedly found in disgraced police chief’s home


The document states that during a search of Jones' home, the Pike County Sheriff's Office found an evidence bag with a Missouri State Highway Patrol seal containing what was believed to be meth. October 28, 2022 LOUISIANA Mo. (WGEM) - The State of Missouri has filed new charges against the Louisiana, Missouri, police chief who was arrested last wee...

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Two arrested after a multiagency catalytic converter theft investigation in Sedalia

Investigators seized 107 cutoff catalytic converters that were located at locations in Sedalia and Otterville September 1, 2021 SEDALIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Multiple law enforcement agencies arrested two people Wednesday morning after investigating the theft of catalytic converters in the Sedalia area. The Sedalia police, Pettis County Sheriff's Dept. detec...

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Former-st-francois-county-police-chief-sentenced-to-probation-in-case-of-missing-drug-evidence


Washburn admitted to taking the methamphetamine evidence from the locker and ingesting it. June 8, 2021 The former police chief of Iron Mountain Lake was sentenced last week to probation on five charges related to a police pursuit outside of his jurisdiction that led to the discovery of missing drug evidence from his department. John Washburn, 52, ...

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Rifle reunion: Jefferson County Sheriff’s office returns rifle stolen more than 40 years ago

"It's really crazy I never thought I'd see the gun again ever. May 31, 2021 ST. LOUIS — More than 4 decades ago, someone stole Clyde Smith's .30-06 hunting rifle. On Thursday, Smith got it back.It was stolen in 1974 from his Jefferson County home. "It's really crazy I never thought I'd see the gun again ever. We had gone on vacation to Table Rock L...

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Sheriff makes push to return items to owners

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has started a campaign to encourage people to reclaim lost or stolen items that have been recovered. Enter Article DATE HERE The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has started a campaign to encourage people to reclaim lost or stolen items that have been recovered. Through the initiative, called "Found Prope...

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California Police Department hit with misconduct allegations

California Police Department hit with misconduct allegations. After noticing some concerning habits in the California Police Department's evidence handling process and the integrity of its leadership, a group of officers say they tried to escalate their concerns about the department's operations to their leaders in the agency and the city of Califo...

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Former Harrison County Sheriff Deputy charged with felony of tampering with physical evidence

Lawson is accused of destroying the original evidence log with the purpose to impair or obstruct investigations related to public corruption, felony tampering, and/or felony distribution of a controlled substance. January 14, 2021 A former Harrison County Sheriff Deputy has been charged with two felony counts of tampering with physical evidence in ...

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DNA connects St. Louis man to cold cases in Arizona, more victims possible

Lance David Ray was arrested and charged with crimes from 20 years ago. He's accused of killing a man and kidnapping and sexually assaulting two teens at gunpoint December 29, 2020 ST. LOUIS — A man who most recently lived in St. Louis has been arrested and charged in several cold case crimes – including murder – from 20 years ago in Arizona. And i...

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IML police chief arrested, charged with stealing drug evidence, false impersonation

admitted to taking the methamphetamine evidence from the locker and ingesting it September 21, 2020 The police chief of Iron Mountain Lake has been arrested and faces felony charges this week following an alleged police pursuit outside of his jurisdiction that reportedly led to the discovery of missing drug evidence at the Iron Mountain Lake Police...

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Attorney general announces DNA "hits" from rape kit testing effort

Of 16 kits that were uploaded to CODIS, the national DNA database of prior offenders, 11 generated matches. September 9, 2020 An ongoing initiative to process untested sexual assault kits in Missouri has produced 11 matches to DNA profiles of known criminal offenders, according to a Wednesday news release from Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt...

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Video Footage May Indicate Police Evidence Was Compromised In Laurie

Evidence Room July 25, 2020 New video footage obtained by KRMS News might show that police evidence was compromised in the City of Laurie. The video was taken during an investigation of former police chief Mark Black and former assistant police chief Angela Nickerson, both suspended at the time. The video shows Laurie Mayor Alan Kimberling, and oth...

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SEMO professor, students identify remains found on Charleston farm in 1979

The identification was recently made through the combined efforts of Southeast anthropology professors and students, genetic and forensic experts, DNA studies and advances in technology. April 25, 2020 After more than 40 years, an identification has been made in a cold case involving burned, unidentified human remains recovered on a farm near Charl...

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DNA helps solve 20-year cold case in Indianapolis

March 10, 2020 INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An arrest has been made in a 20-year-old murder case in Indianapolis. William Swain is charged in the October 2000 murder of 39-year-old Arthur McPhaul. Swain faces felony charges of murder, criminal deviate conduct resulting in a serious bodily injury and criminal confinement. In October of 2000, police were ca...

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Documents: $4,000 in military surplus misplaced in Randolph sheriff’s office

That inventory also found that a gun held as evidence and checked out by the deputy, Roy Hardt, was not in the department's possession. It was one of 21 guns checked out by deputies from the evidence collection for use on duty. The guns were not attached to active cases, Nichols said. February 1, 2020 The Randolph County Sheriff's Department will r...

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Sheriff's department prepares to destroy unclaimed weapons

Leer said anyone with ownership interest or can prove ownership should contact the Boone County Sheriff's Department by Jan. 10 and ask to speak with the evidence custodians. January 7, 2020 COLUMBIA — The Boone County Sheriff's Department said Monday it is preparing to destroy any weapons left unclaimed by Jan. 10. For more than a decade, departme...

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More than 6,000 sex assault kits in Missouri are untested. Kansas City has the most

We have failed survivors of sexual assault," said Matthew Huffman, spokesman for Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. November 30, 2019 Jackson County has the highest number of untested sexual assault kits in the state, with more than 2,300 kits stored at area police departments and health facilities, a report from the Missouri ...

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St. Louis County Prosecutor's Office: 100 cases under review

no one told Bell's staff after he defeated seven-term incumbent Bob McCulloch last year there were cases in which the work of the crime lab employee, who was fired in 2017, could be called into question November 11, 2019 CLAYTON, Mo. -- A pattern of improper analysis in the St. Louis County Police Department's crime lab by a forensic scientist has ...

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Commission hears about SFCSD firearms

Sheriff Dan Bullock explained to the commission why the department is in possession of the firearms. November 1, 2019 Disposing of surplus firearms at the sheriff's department was a topic of business during the St. Francois County Commission's regular session Tuesday. Sheriff Dan Bullock explained to the commission why the department is in possessi...

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After Years Collecting Dust, Missouri's Untested Rape Kits Are Getting Sorted Out

Missouri has more than 10,000 untested rape kits sitting on shelves in police departments and hospital — some have been there for decades — October 16, 2019 Missouri has more than 10,000 untested rape kits sitting on shelves in police departments and hospital — some have been there for decades — but the state is finally set to have a full inventory...

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More than 50% of KCPD's evidence affected by fire, documents say

Hundreds of thousands of evidence bags stored at warehouse October 15, 2019 KANSAS CITY, Mo. — New court records reveal an evidence warehouse fire in August 2018 affected more than 50% of the evidence stored there. Defense attorney Dan Ross has been outspoken about wanting to learn more about the fire since in happened. The new records, including a...

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KCPD says evidence warehouse fire is unsolved, cause unknown. Best guess: a cellphone

"It appeared that the fire was caused by an unknown standalone heat source, possibly a malfunctioning cellphone or other lithium type battery or possibly a chemical reaction," a detective wrote. September 17, 2019 More than a year after fire ravaged a Kansas City Police Department evidence warehouse, destroying an unknown amount of material from sh...

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Cold case in Missouri solved with DNA: Ex-Air Force member charged with 1993 murder of 9-year-old girl

Earl Webster Cox, 61, has been charged with the killing of Angie Housman, 9, who was found dead nine days after she disappeared in November of 1993, St. Charles County May 7, 2019 A former Air Force service member currently in federal custody has been charged in a 25-year-old cold case in which a 9-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and murdered,...

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Fort Oglethorpe police working with company to properly destroy firearms

"Our department joined the International Association of Property and Evidence last year," Helton said. "It's the highest level of property and evidence persons that we know out there in law enforcement that we've become aware of at all.​ May 25, 2019 The Fort Oglethorpe Police Department has reached an agreement with a Missouri company to properly ...

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Former St. Louis officer accused of stealing suspect’s phone from evidence

City police officer with stealing a woman's cellphone after she was booked at an area patrol station. Enter Article DATE HERE According to court documents, the theft is said to have occurred January 21 at the South Patrol Police Station in the 3500 block of Sublette Avenue. The victim had previously been taken into custody for an outstanding t...

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Police chief resigns, officer terminated amid theft inquiry

a lack of leadership, poor training and mishandling of evidence in the county seat's police department. January 18, 2019 HILLSBORO, Mo. An eastern Missouri police chief has resigned and an officer has been terminated amid an investigation into theft allegations. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Hillsboro Mayor Joe Phillips says the investig...

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County officers hospitalized after exposure to fentanyl during traffic stop in Brentwood

"One of the officers started having numbness and tingling in his hand and mild dizziness and feeling lightheaded," Kurten said. January 10, 2019 UPDATED at 4 p.m. with new information, including results of tests showing substance was fentanyl. BRENTWOOD • Two St. Louis County police officers were taken to a hospital after being exposed Tuesday to f...

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1990s cold case murders in South Carolina, Missouri solved through DNA breakthrough, police say


Robert Brashers, who killed himself in a standoff with police in Missouri in 1999, was linked to the three homicides through DNA October 6, 2018 A man with an extensive criminal history was identified by authorities Friday as the suspect in two 1990s cold case murders in Missouri and South Carolina. Robert Brashers, who killed himself in a standoff...

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1995 Hits

AG finds 5,000-plus untested sexual assault evidence kits, gets grant for backlog analysis


Attorney general's office has received a $2.8 million Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to process untested evidence October 1, 2018 At least 5,424 sexual assault evidence "kits" remain untested in Missouri, according to final numbers from the attorney general's statewide audit released Monday. In May, the prel...

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1743 Hits

Westport shooting may be among cases missing evidence after KC police warehouse fire


Cases where evidence may be compromised include a double sexual-assault trial, September 13, 2018 Criminal trials may go on hold and attorneys are worrying about lost evidence three weeks after a fire damaged one of the Kansas City Police Department's evidence storage rooms. Cases where evidence may be compromised include a double sexual-assault tr...

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Defense attorneys worry evidence missing after KCPD warehouse fire


Police Department. Defense attorneys say cases are stalling and they're not sure some evidence can be salvaged. September 14, 2018 KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- We're now learning the impact of a fire that damaged an evidence warehouse used by the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department. Defense attorneys say cases are stalling and they're not sure some evidence ...

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Overnight fire damages KC evidence building; police assessing what it means for cases


It is unknown what caused the fire, what was damaged and how that might affect current and old cases August 23, 2018 A fire early Thursday morning damaged one of the Kansas City Police Department's property and evidence buildings. The fire was reported shortly after 12:30 a.m. at the Kansas City Municipal Services building at 5300 Municipal Ave. Th...

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Sikeston DPS loses evidence in murder case


The Sikeston (Missouri) Department of Public Safety has lost surveillance video evidence in a murder case. August 4, 2018 The Sikeston (Missouri) Department of Public Safety has lost surveillance video evidence in a murder case. The video was used, in part, to establish probable cause for the arrest of Antoine Harris-Applewhite in the shooting deat...

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I-Team questions sheriff over missing evidence


After looking into a case of missing evidence in Madison County, Missouri, the I-Team asked Sheriff Katy McCutcheon if this happened in other cases. Her response? "Uh, I hope not. July 22, 2018 FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. — Troubling allegations have surfaced about a Missouri Sheriff's Department losing evidence. In this case, it was a piece of rare jewelry...

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Editorial: Nearly 5,000 untested rape kits signals ongoing injustice to Missouri victims

Lawmakers who care about protecting women should give their full support to this legislation to break the logjam of rape kits sitting on shelves, gathering dust. Enter Article DATE HERE Missouri's backlog of nearly 5,000 untested rape kits represents the failure of the criminal justice system to take sexual assault seriously. Shame on law enfo...

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30-year-old untested rape kit highlights massive backlog in Missouri system


30-year-old untested rape kit highlights massive backlog in Missouri system Enter Article DATE HERE Attorney General Josh Hawley says a new report shows Missouri's crime labs can't keep up with the volume of rape kits flowing through the system. According to the data released, more than 4,800 kits with suspected sexual assault evidence have no...

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Senate adds money for sexual assault evidence kit testing (MO)

The Sexual Assault Kit Initiative provides money to states to inventory and test kits and provide resources to victims of sexual assault. Apr 19, 2018 JEFFERSON CITY — Legislators wanting to help tackle the state's backlog of sexual assault evidence kits identified money for that purpose during a Senate Appropriations Committee this week. The commi...

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Proposed Bill Would Create Database for Sexual Assault Kits

Currently, Missouri has no way of keeping track of processed sexual assault collection kits. A proposed bill hopes to fix that February 12, 2018 Currently, Missouri has no way of keeping track of processed sexual assault collection kits. A proposed bill hopes to fix that. During a hearing Monday afternoon, members of the public spoke in favor of a ...

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Missouri Attorney General announces audit of unprocessed sexual assault evidence kits

The Missouri attorney general's office will conduct a thorough audit of unprocessed sexual assault evidence "kits" across the state November 09, 2017 The Missouri attorney general's office will conduct a thorough audit of unprocessed sexual assault evidence "kits" across the state, Attorney General Josh Hawley announced Thursday. There is no law in...

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1714 Hits

Advocates criticize handling of sexual assault evidence

Many agencies don't send evidence for testing unless a victim wants to pursue potential charges. They said testing every evidence kit would also add to Missouri's already extensive backlog. October 30, 2017 COLUMBIA, Mo. Advocates against sexual violence say Missouri's lack of evidence testing in some sexual assault cases make it harder to link rep...

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1960 Hits

Ex-cop gets probation in drug theft case

A former police officer who pocketed drugs from the scene of a fatal overdose September 13, 2017 ST. JOSEPH — A former police officer who pocketed drugs from the scene of a fatal overdose told a Berrien County judge Tuesday that he has shamed himself and done great harm to his family his community. "I hope they will see that I'm going to try to do ...

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Sheriff’s department obtains clean way to locally dispose of drugs

You have to destroy any kind of narcotics, you can't just throw it away Enter Article DATE HERE The Phelps County Sheriff's Department has a new way to dispose of evidence, one they are able to keep practically in their back yard. By acquiring a new incinerator, the Sheriff's Department hopes to save time and money when it comes to clearing ou...

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2017 Hits

Clever, Miller police chief brothers worked together to steal city money, troopers say

Miller police officers reported that 11 firearms were missing from evidence storage, August 25, 2017 The chiefs of the Miller and Clever police departments — who are brothers — worked together to steal money from the city of Miller, Missouri state troopers say. Thirty-four-year-old Joshua Bruce, who was the chief of the Miller Police Department fro...

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