Phelps will appear in court Friday. Digital. James D. Phelps, 60, was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and abandonment of a corpse . 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. Some of the woman's body parts were later found in a freezer, he said. On Sept. 16, the FBI received an anonymous tip about photos that appeared to depict a partially clothed Rainwater confined to a cage. It allows the defendant to accept a guilty verdict without a criminal trial, according to Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute. On Nov. 17, the Dallas County prosecutor filed first-degree murder charges against James Phelps and Timothy Norton in Rainwaters death. 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. Cassidy was reported missing by a family member in August but reports say she was last seen on July 25th. 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. Men arrested for 'keeping partially-nude woman locked in a cage at The murder charges were announced on Wednesday. Meanwhile, investigators returned to the scene of the fire during daylight hours to analyze the area. Human Remains Found in Freezer in Case that Fueled TikTok Rumors Authorities have not shared many updates since confirming the death of Rainwater on Nov. 17. News of the positive identification was accompanied by the release of sickening new details concerning the kidnapping victim's death, including how the 33-year-old woman was strangled to death, strapped to a crane, eviscerated and cut into pieces, according to authorities. 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. On Sept. 16, an FBI agent in Kansas City contacted detectives in the Sheriff's Department after receiving an anonymous tip about photos that allegedly showed Rainwater being held in a cage, reported CBS affiliate KFVS in Cape Girardeau, Mo. 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. Sheriff Rice said more of her remains were found scattered on a nearby property belonging to her grandfather Bill Rainwater. Court documents indicate that when investigators searched Phelps' property, they found Rainwater's remains in a deep-freezer, dated with 7-24, the last day Rainwater is believed to have been alive. How do I keep bugs off my patio this spring? The packages in the freezer containing her remains were labeled 7-24. Rainwater was last seen at some point in late July; a family member who officially reported her missing on Aug. 25 said she had last been seen about six weeks prior. "Norton stated that Phelps bound her to the gantry crane and Phelps began evisceration and dismemberment of Cassidy's body. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. Rainwater was last seen alive in mid-July. Police say items from the freezer that appeared to be human flesh have been positively identified as Rainwaters remains, and skeletal remains belonging to her were also uncovered. Porter anticipated Phelps' trial would occur in the summer of 2025, which would be four years after Rainwater's death. She is listed as a freshman in the 2003 yearbook from . He said she had been talking about going to Colorado. In a 2003 yearbook from Harrisonville High School in Cass County, shes listed as a freshman. 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. 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That man, James Phelps, had initially been arrested and charged with kidnapping Rainwater in September, along with another man named Timothy Norton, a trucker who had been living on Phelps property. TIMELINE: The death and disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater in Dallas County, Mo. Rainwater, 33, was reported missing on Aug. 26, 2021, after having last been seen in mid-July. Rainwater was last seen in July and was reported missing in late August. Phelps is scheduled to be back in court May 19, while Norton is scheduled to be back in court May 2. Authorities say remains found at the southwest Missouri home were those of a missing woman, 33-year-old Cassidy Rainwater. Because prosecutors have announced their intention to seek the death penalty, Phelps is represented by the capital division of Missouri's Public Defender office. Police have not yet given a motive for the grisly crime, but they say Phelps and Norton planned it in advance. The home Phelps rented on Moon Valley Road in Dallas County was burned to the ground in the late-evening hours. Williams says that a lack of information coming from investigating authorities is leading an entire community to speculate. 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. 2 killed, 4 wounded in Mississippi shooting; man arrested, 150 years later, Dixon bridge tragedy among nation's worst, Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says he wants to 'shut down the FBI' and replace it with something that sounds a lot like the FBI, Sanders: Biden could win in a landslide, Sunny Hostin Responded To Meghan McCain's Recent Scathing Criticism Of "The View" And Thinks She'd Be Great For "Housewives", Possible tornado damage in Fort Hood, Texas, Colts chart new QB path with 1st-round pick Richardson. 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The FBI passed along information Thursday that led to the arrest of James Phelps, 58, at a. Prior to the request, a preliminary hearing in Phelps case was scheduled for Nov. 5. The case had already taken a very dark turn in September, when details trickled out about Rainwater being held captive and semi-naked in a cage on Phelps property. Due to the nature of the plea, there was no criminal trial. Next steps in Cassidy Rainwater murder case to begin next year, Norton This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Police have also divulged new information about hundreds of other pieces of evidence recovered in the case, providing disturbing new details about Rainwaters final moments that come as a gut-punch to many who feared the worst from the very beginning. The new charges come after remains recovered at Phelps property just days after his arrest were positively identified as Rainwaters. Missouri man sentenced to life in Cassidy Rainwater killing | The 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The tip the FBI received was titled Cassidy. Phelps and Timothy Norton, both of Dallas County, were charged in September 2021 with kidnapping the 33-year-old woman and facilitating a felony, inflicting injury and terrorizing. The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History Those items were dated July 24. Two men are charged with her murder after photos showed her evisceration and dismemberment. Police had found her remains in a freezer in September, and according to reports, in containers that were labelled with the date 7/24, and which later matched DNA for Ms Rainwater. Rice said Norton told investigators Phelps asked him to help kill Rainwater on July 24 while she was staying at Phelps' home. On Sept. 1, a detective spoke to Phelps at his home in Lebanon. Court documents accuse Phelps and Norton of holding Cassidy Rainwater in a cage on Moon Valley Road near Windyville, Missouri. He told authorities she left in the middle of the night and never came back. James Phelps assigned new judge to oversee Cassidy Rainwater kidnapping The Dallas County Sheriffs Office has now revealed that the cage was the least of Rainwaters torment: She was strangled by the two men before being gutted and dismembered, according to the officials. Two men charged in September with felony kidnapping have now been charged with murder in the missing persons case of Cassidy Rainwater, a Missouri woman who appeared caged and partially nude in photos sent to the FBI. Phelps' co-defendant, Timothy Norton, faces the same charges. Attorneys filed a motion to request a change in the criminal case of James Phelps, one of two men accused in the kidnapping of Cassidy Rainwater. The Dallas County Sheriff's Office laid out the case on social media today, announcing details surrounding the murder. Her mother's body was found in 2008 in Laclede County. Investigators determined it to be arson. Because of both the complexity of death penalty cases and full case loads for a small staff, they tend to be more drawn out. 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. 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. Phelps home was later burned to the ground after his arrest. On the night of Oct. 4, a day before Phelps and Norton were scheduled to appear in court, Phelps' home burned to the ground. The bomb squad arrived around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday and shortly after, they detonated an explosive device near the area of the fire. The woman was described as sleeping when the attack took place. Cassidy Rainwater case: Suspect makes plea, gets life in prison DNA tests returned to Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice confirmed Rainwaters flesh was found in a freezer. 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. The Springfield 3. Blog with Pictures - : r/cassidyrainwater - Reddit Those photos, as well as photos of Rainwater strung up on a gantry crane being dismembered and eviscerated, were sent in an anonymous tip to the FBI, according to court documents. In her 25-year career, Lauras stories on child welfare, human trafficking, crime and Kansas secrecy have been nationally recognized. Laura Bauer came to The Star in 2005 after spending much of her life in southwest Missouri. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? 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 lawyer for Norton previously denied the kidnapping allegations and could not be reached on Thursday for comment on the murder charges. ", They also found skeletal remains at an adjoining property, which "were confirmed by the crime lab to be Cassidy Rainwater.". 1 of 2 charged in the death of Cassidy Rainwater in the summer of 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment | She asked us to conceal her identity for her protection. By Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. According to court records, Norton was originally interviewed on Sept. 19 and after his interview, officers determined he had provided information that was not accurate. No official motive in Rainwaters killing has been disclosed. Waiting for your permission to load facebook comments. Wiliams lives in Urbana, about half an hour away from the site of Monday nights fire. Investigators with the Missouri State Fire Marshals Office concluded that an Oct. 4 house fire at the center of a kidnapping case in Dallas County was a result of arson. (KY3) - The worst fears of Cassidy Rainwater's family and friends were confirmed Wednesday. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, were hit with the murder counts as well as being charged with abandonment of a corpse. 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. James Phelps and Timothy L. Norton have been charged with kidnapping 33-year-old Cassidy Rainwater who was reported missing on July 24. Nortons attorney has said he intends to plead not guilty. 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James Phelps and Timothy Norton appeared in court Tuesday. An . I cant fathom what her family is experiencing and Im heartily sorry that it happened so close to my home.. At a nearby property, the Sheriffs Office said uncovered skeletal remains were believed to be Rainwaters. Two men are charged with her murder after photos showed her evisceration and dismemberment By Andrea Marks November 18,. 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. 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. Cassidy Rainwater's remains found on accused kidnappers' property in All a sudden, the house collapsed and the flames got bigger. Missouri men James Phels, Timothy Norton charged with murdering Cassidy Other photos allegedly showed "Cassidy's body bound to a gantry crane, commonly used for deer processing, and her evisceration and dismemberment. 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. by: Ashley Eddy, Emilee Kuschel, Bailey Strohl, Chris Six, Carrie Winchel. Admonishing true crime fans who were sitting in their apartment or their mommy and daddys basement eating Great Value cheese puffs and drinking box wine, he went on to say that the public should stop hanging on very word is this type of crap. In September her accused kidnappers were arrested and charged and in October the two men appeared in court. Federal investigators said no one has seen Cassidy Rainwater since July. Dallas County Sheriff's Office Detectives then identified. 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. I called 911 because I was worried about it catching the woods on fire and spreading to the other houses.. Privacy Policy | The red dot is where Phelps' cabin sits. 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. (KY3) - A man has been arrested in the case of missing woman Cassidy Rainwater. Several hours later, the bomb squad detonated the suspicious device. When investigators searched Phelps property, court documents say they found Rainwaters remains in a deep freezer in packages labeled 7-24, the last day Rainwater is believed to be alive. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. It is not a good idea to listen to a crime reporter/blogger or Tik Tok videos. Phelps and Norton were arrested in September 2021 after authorities say they obtained photos of Rainwater in a cage on Phelps property, as well as photos of Rainwater being dismembered and eviscerated. 24. 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The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Woman missing for months as cannibalism rumors swirl; image of We could feel the heat, said Nicholson. Cassidy Rainwater murder suspect gets life in prison. 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. Here is the most recent timeline of events in Rainwaters death, disappearance and confirmed information in the investigation: This was the last day anyone, including family members, reported seeing Cassidy Rainwater. She said she cant wrap her head around all of this. ", After the 33-year-old woman was dead, "he and Phelps took a short break before carrying her body outside," according to the statement. 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. Authorities say they have no reason to believe there are any other victims associated with Phelps and Norton at this time.. According to court documents, investigators recovered more than 200 pieces of evidence at the home and determined that Rainwaters body had been dismembered. (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. During the investigation, detectives identified Timothy Norton as being connected to the case. ", According to the statement, police found human flesh inside a freezer at Phelps' home, and that it had been marked with a date: "7/24. Norton was arrested Sept. 21. On Sept. 16, 2021, the Dallas County Sheriffs Office received intel from the FBI that led them to James Phelps' property in Windyville. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. During that hearing, Judge John C. Porter ruled against a bond request filed by Phelps attorney. He said that Rainwater had been talking about going to Colorado. Norton was interviewed again on Sept. 20 at the Dallas County Sheriffs Office. Also on Friday, according to online court records, Judge Jill Porter sentenced Phelps to life in prison with no chance for parole. 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. 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. Cassidy Rainwaters alleged kidnappers have been unmasked as her alleged murderers, as police reveal the 33-year-olds brutal final moments. After she was dead, he said, theyd taken her outside and bound her to the gantry crane, where Phelps began eviscerating and dismembering her. Cassidy Rainwater, 33, was reported missing in late August, having been last seen with someone identified as James Rainwater. I am very upset by it.. (KOLR) Cassidy Rainwater, the woman seen in a dark web photo being held in a cage in a partially nude state, was reported missing in August.