Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox announced today that four people have been arrested in connection with a burglary and shooting incident Wednesday east of Chillicothe. Cox says the investigation continues, and has provided leads to other criminal activity, but he expected the North Central Missouri Major Case Squad would disband this evening.

Three people, Jennifer McMullin, who is listed as homeless, and Jeremiah and Jeremy Orona of Chula, are being held under 250-thousand dollars bond After being charged with first-degree burglary and armed criminal action. Warrants have been issued or are expected soon for two other suspects, Jeffery Stevens of Chillicothe and Jesse Perez, who is homeless.

Cox says three of the suspects have confessed, and one has said did not expect anyone to come home during the break-in. Investigators say two shots were fired at a resident who dropped by a relative’s home Wednesday morning. The resident was not hurt.

“I believe it is fair to report the residence was intentionally targeted,” Cox said, “and other home(s) had allegedly been or were being cased as possible burglary targets as recent as Wednesday morning.”

Cox offered his thanks to the numerous people who provided tips and information, to the officers and agencies who assisted in the case and to the members of the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office and emergency dispatchers involved. He says many of the officers involved worked up to 19 hour shifts this week in an effort “to keep the wheels of justice moving forward.”

“The most important thing about this entire incident is that no one has been injured,” Cox added.

Authorities are looking for at least four suspects involved with a morning robbery on the Northwest Campus.

Campus Police say four or five young men robbed  a student at a gathering place known as the Station around 6:00 am this morning.  The building houses conference rooms and a convenience store.

The victim involved received minor injuries but did not need treatment.  Campus Police Director Clarance Green says no weapons were involved.

The suspects took a school issued laptop computer from the students.  Every full-time student is issued a computer while attending the University.

The suspects are described as black males, between 18 and 22 years old, one wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, another wearing a white T-shirt, and another wearing thick rimmed black eyeglasses.

Campus police continue to investigate.  If anyone can help with information they are asked to call the Northwest Campus Police Office.  660-562-1254.

 

 

A man convicted in the murders of two teenagers was apprehended Thursday night, nearly two days after his escape from a central Kansas prison.

Santos M Carrera-Morales was arrested at about 11:40 p.m. in Russell, Kan., the Kansas Department of Corrections said.

A DOC spokesman said an alert Russell citizen spotted Carrera-Morales and called authorities. No further details of his arrest were immediately available.

The search continues for the fourth Inmate, Eric James, serving time for aggravated robbery, burglary, kidnapping and criminal damage.

The four inmates had been transferred to the jail in Minneapolis, Kansas because of overcrowding at a state prison.  On Thursday the Kansas Department of Corrections announced that all of the inmates in the Ottawa County facility had been returned to the state prison in Ellsworth.

Sgt. Gary Hovey of the North Platte, Nebraska Police Department said Wednesday that escapee Drew Wade phoned his father, who persuaded him to turn himself in. Hovey said Wade approached the manager of the Wal-Mart in North Platte and asked him to call police.

Meanwhile, authorities in Lansing, Kansas continue their search for a escapee from the Lansing Correctional Facility, 59-year-old child sex offender Gary Leslie Furthmyer.

According to an announcement from the prison, Furthmyer escaped from his minimum custody assignment at the prison’s steam plant.

Furthmyer is serving time for a 1985 conviction in Wichita on charges of indecent liberties with a child and aggravated failure to appear.

This is not the first time for Furthmyer.  According to his prison history, Furthmyer previously escaped in 1988 and remained at large for five years.

Authorities asked anyone who has information to call 911 or the Lansing Correctional Facility at 1-913-727-3235.

Prison officials say all escapees are considered to be armed and dangerous.

 

Baseball hall-of-famer Cal Ripken Jr. was pounding nails in Joplin Thursday, helping to rebuild after last May’s tornado. Ripken says he’s inspired by the people of Joplin and their determination to rebuild.

Ripken also donated $10,000 as part of a partnership with Energizer Batteries and the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. Scott Clayton of Habitat says Ripken’s visit has been positive and uplifting for the town.

 

Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri is not happy about the possible closing of rural post offices. Blunt says the US Postal Service needs to rethink its plans for cutting costs. The Republican lawmaker says rural services should not bear the brunt of the cuts.

Blunt disagrees with implications that rural postal service is unnecessary. He says many people need rural service and he wants the right decision made for them. The postal service bill could come up for a vote as soon as the end of next week.

 

The North Central Missouri Major Case Squad was activated Thursday morning as Livingston County authorities continue their investigation into a home invasion and shooting Wednesday near Chilicothe.

By Thursday night, three people were in custody.

In a news release, Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox said they are looking for other “person(s) of interest” in the case.

” This does not mean we are seeking to arrest others,” Cox said, “and it does not mean we are winding down the investigation.”

Cox said he hoped to release more information on Friday.

“We greatly appreciate the enormous amount of input from the citizens and media in helping with this incident,” Cox said.

Sheriff Steve Cox calls it a serious crime, and says he hopes to complete the probe as quickly as possible, “not only to find those responsible, but also to minimize the opportunity for any future victims.”

Investigators from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, sheriff’s offices in Livingston, Linn, and Grundy counties as well as the Chillicothe, Brookfield and Trenton police departments have joined forces in the case.

Cox says at present they have followed up on a substantial number of leads, developed additional leads, and are still receiving numerous tips on this and other investigations.

 

On Wednesday morning a resident dropped by a relative’s home on Route V and spotted two people in the home. One of the suspects fired at least two rounds at the relative, who escaped uninjured and called 911.

A search Wednesday that included tracking dogs and aircraft from the Missouri State Highway Patrol failed to locate the suspects.