While talking with the reporting party, Cora Terry, it was revealed the last time Cassidy had been seen was approximately six weeks ago prior to the missing person’s report. On We received a missing person report on Cassidy Rainwater.
JAMES PHELPS UPDATE
Sheriff Scott Rice shared this update on Facebook: If there is anyone who believes they may have information concerning this case, they can call investigators at the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office at 41.Ī judge had scheduled a court appearance for Phelps on November 19. Sheriff Rice says this is an ongoing investigation. Sheriff Rice says investigators have not located any evidence leading them to believe there are any other victims associated with Phelps and Norton at this time. Detectives searched the area for several days. Investigators say Phelps claims she had left in the middle of the night at the end of July and he had not seen her since then. According to detectives, Rainwater had been staying with Phelps while she got on her feet. After searching Phelps’ phone, officials discovered seven photos of Rainwater. Investigators say a detective recognized Rainwater in a partially nude state. FBI investigators contacted detectives in Dallas County saying they received photos from an anonymous person showing Rainwater in a cage. 19 and after his interview, officers determined he had provided information that was not accurate.KY3 News first broke the news of the kidnapping of Rainwater in mid-September. 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.ĭuring the investigation, detectives identified Timothy Norton as being connected to the case.Īccording to court records, Norton was originally interviewed on Sept. The detective noticed the loft on the property looked like it had been “stripped,” and they did not notice any belongings of Cassidy’s at the loft at that time. He said she had been talking about going to Colorado.Īccording 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. He said that Cassidy had been staying with him until she could get back on her feet, court records say. 1, a detective spoke to Phelps at his home in Lebanon.
The tipster advised there was a photo showing a missing person, Cassidy Rainwater, being held in a cage in a partially nude state. 16, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by an FBI agent in Kansas City about an anonymous tip. Rainwater was last seen in July and was reported missing in late August.Ĭourt documents accuse Phelps and Norton of holding Cassidy Rainwater in a cage on Moon Valley Road near Windyville, Missouri.Īccording to court documents, on Sept. James Phelps and Timothy Norton were arrested in September and charged with the kidnapping of Cassidy Rainwater. Background: How we got here and the search for answers
I don’t understand what makes people get like that,” says Williams. “The little I did watch I didn’t hear anything bad, and then all of a sudden I’m hearing about a guy who’s got women locked up, and possible torture. Williams says that a lack of information coming from investigating authorities is leading an entire community to speculate. “Everything was quiet and I thought moving to the country was going to be the best fit, but now….I don’t want to move back to the city but now I feel like I might have made a bad choice,” says Williams. She says that she moved to Dallas County to get away from violence in Kansas City, Wiliams lives in Urbana, about half an hour away from the site of Monday night’s fire. But I also feel like if law enforcement and others will give us information, they wouldn’t have to resort to that kind of…filling in,” says local resident Savannah Williams. “I feel like they’re kind of taking the story and running with it and maybe making it hyped up to more than what it really is. Members of the surrounding community are still without answers, and some are turning to any source of information they can get. The public defenders did not request bond during the hearing. Both Phelps and Norton appeared via a video conference call from the Dallas County Jail. KOLR-TV was in the courtroom Tuesday, and a judge set preliminary hearings for both men at 9:30 a.m. Phelps, Norton appear in court, community reacts Springfield City Officials say they don’t have any further information at this time.