Three arrested following robbery at local store

Two Pemiscot County men and one Pemiscot County juvenile were recently arrested following a robbery at the Kennett Walmart on Friday, Oct. 23.
According to Major Steve Williams of the Kennett Police Department, at approximately 1:01 p.m., the department was dispatched to Walmart to investigate a report of a robbery in the parking lot.
Upon arrival, Williams said officer contacted the victim, Shirley Bruce, 70, of Blytheville, Ark., who said as she was leaving the store, she was approached by a young black male who said something she couldn't understand.
David R. HamiltonWilliams said Bruce continued, saying the male then grabbed her wallett that she was holding in her hand and ran away with it. Bruce said the wallett contained about $40 in cash.
Officers then watched the Walmart surveillance video and saw three black males following Bruce, Williams said. The video showed one of the males making contact with Bruce, grabbing her wallett, and all three running from the scene. Officers then began searching the area.
Shortly thereafter, officer Craig Crow located three black males walking on Astrachan Street who matched the descriptions from the Walmart video, said the KPD Major, who added that the three individuals ran behind some apartments when they saw the patrol car.
Williams said after a brief search of the area, the three men were located hiding in an apartment, and were identified as David R. Hamilton, 17, of Caruthersville, Mo., Justin Wright, 17, of Hayti, Mo., and a 16-year-old juvenile from Hayti.
According to Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Sokoloff, Wright and Hamilton are facing the Class B felony charge of robbery in the second degree, a crime punishable by five to 15 years in the state penitentiary. Both are being held at the Dunklin County Justice Center, each on a $50,000 bond.
The juvenile was turned over to the Dunklin County Juvenile Office and is being detained at the Bloomfield, Mo., Detention Center.

Intended victim speaks out after triple murder

CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY, MO - John Lawrence, the intended murder victim in the triple murders in Cape Girardeau, broke his silence for the first time on Thursday. The same day police released information about a third arrest in the brutal murders of Lawrence's girlfriend, her son, and their unborn child.
Prosecutors filed three counts of second-degree murder against 25-year-old Samuel Ray Hughes, known as Ray-Ray.
Hughes is accused of going with shooting suspect Ryan Patterson to the Lawrence home oat 1224 North Missouri Avenue early Tuesday morning.
Court documents show Hughes admits to acting as a lookout, but claims he didn't know about a murder plan.
Hughes also faces a single count of felony burglary.
In the meantime, John Lawrence says he's just trying to take it one day at a time. That's quite a change for the man who says he had his future planned out and was looking forward to spending it with his loved ones. Now he says he has a million questions he wants answered.
When Lawrence moved into his house five years ago, he says getting an insurance policy on his home seemed like a normal thing to do.
"I got it to protect my family in case something happened," he said. "I never would have thought it would have come to this."
Court papers allege the combined $350,000 home and life insurance policies proved to be key pieces of the puzzle in the triple murder.
According to court documents, John's estranged wife, Michelle Lawrence admitted she and her boyfriend, Ryan Patterson had been talking about killing John for over a week so she could collect the insurance money.
But John says Michelle knew he was at work that night, because he spoke to his daughter at her mother's apartment the night before the shootings.
"I talked to my children at 10 o'clock on Monday night and Michelle was there. I don't know why if the plan was to get me, why did they go in my house knowing I was not there and she knew Jamie's boys were there. She knew it."
Lawrence showed up to watch the arraignment on Thursday.
He watched silently as Ryan Patterson joked around with another inmate as he waited to appear in front of the judge.
He kept on watching as his soon-to-be-ex stalked in and out with her arms folded in front of her chest.
Lawrence remembers talking to Michelle the day of the murders.
"Brianna called me and said 'Dad why is the house on the news?' I told her let me talk to your mom. She gave the phone to Michelle, and I don't know if Michelle started crying because she heard my voice or if she started crying because I told her Jamie and Derrick were both deceased but she was emotional."
The words John Lawrence says he will never forget are the ones he spoke to his fiancee the night before she was shot to death in her bed.
"I said 'I love you baby and I'll see you in the morning.'"
John Lawrence says his marriage to Michelle lasted 18 years, but now he feels like he never really knew her.
He also hopes after hearing his story, people give him and his family some privacy and leave them to try and come to terms with their loss.
Final arragements for the three victims will be held this weekend.
Visitation for Jamie and Derrick Orman and Joseph Lawrence (the unborn baby) will be held Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Miller Family Funeral Home in Perryville.
A funeral will be held Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Miller Family Funeral as well.

Cape Police seek a stabbing suspect

Cape Girardeau police are searching for a man suspected of allegedly stabbing his cousin Tuesday afternoon. Detectives are looking for 49-year-old Calvin Ayers. He allegedly went to his cousin’s house on the 600-block of North Lormier at 5:30 Tuesday and stabbed him in the lower back with a pocket knife. Corporal Adam Glueck said they are still trying to piece the crime together. Glueck says Ayers fled the scene in a white Chevy Caprice before police arrived. The victim was taken by ambulance to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Ayers is described as a black male, 5-foot-10-inches tall and weighs about 170 pounds. If you have any information about his whereabouts, call Cape P-D at 335-6621. The prosecutor has now charged him with felony 2nd-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.

Caruthersville man gets 30 years

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A Pemiscot County man was sentenced Thursday to federal prison on multiple federal charges.
Timmy Nathan Johnson, 49, of Caruthersville was sentenced to 360 months imprisonment on one felony count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of money laundering and one counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Child removed from home after Caruthersville meth bust

CARUTHERSVILLE, MO - A 6 year-old was removed from a home Friday after police report finding a meth lab in the kitchen while he was asleep upstairs.
28 year-old Aaron Krolak and 28 year-old Courtney Cole, both of Caruthersville, face charges of making meth with intent to deliver and endangering the welfare of a child after police say a working meth lab was found in their kitchen.
A news release from Caruthersville Police Department says they and the Bootheel Drug Task Force found a strong chemical smell coming from Apartment 10 at Fox Estates. Police made contact with the resident of the apartment and reported finding a working methamphetamine lab in the kitchen.
Additionally, police say they found meth, marijuana and several pieces of drug paraphernalia in the apartment, all while a 6 year-old child lay asleep upstairs.
The 6 year-old was removed from the residence and placed with Division of Family Services.
Krolak was arrested and transported to Pemiscot County Jail on a $100,000 bond. Krolak also had an additional $3,500 bond on a failure to appear warrant in Stoddard County on a charge of possession of marijuana.
Cole, who is reportedly pregnant, was arrested and transported to jail shortly before being taken to Pemiscot Memorial Hospital for possible pregnancy complications. Police say she will be taken back to Pemiscot County Jail upon release.

A Pemiscot County man is jailed for killing a young child

A Pemiscot County man charged with murder after his girlfriend’s daughter died, allegedly from him striking the child in the face, will go back to court in late November. Deputies responded to the home September 30th in response to a child not breathing. The girl was flown by air ambulance to a hospital in Memphis, where she died the next day. The mother told authorities that she and her daughter were involved in an ATV wreck. Officials learned that story was false and the mother's boyfriend had struck the child in the face with his fist. 23-year-old Matthew Taylor was originally charged with assault in the 1st-degree. But the prosecutor amended that to 2nd-degree murder and child abuse. Taylor remains jailed without bond. 21-year-old Joanie Fowler turned herself into police on an endangering the welfare of a child charge. An autopsy revealed 2-year-old Lillian Fowler died of head trauma. Taylor has a preliminary hearing November 30th before Judge Byron Luber in Caruthersville.

Suspects accused of stealing gasoline in custody after chase

BENTON, MO - Two Sikeston men are in jail after leading officers on a chase, according to a spokesman with the Scott County Sheriff's Department.
Harvee Pratcher, 21, and Maurice E. Newman, 23, were charged with two counts of assaulting a law enforcement officer in the second degree, resisting arrest by fleeing, and stealing. Bond was set at $100,000 each.
According to the sheriff's spokesman, the incident started Wednesday morning when Pratcher and Newman left Boomland without paying for gasoline. Sheriff's Captain Gregg Ourth happened to be at the business at the time and employees told him what had happened.
Ourth followed the vehicle down I-55 South and stopped it near the 78 mile marker. When Ourth tried to take Pratcher into custody, Pratcher broke loose, got back into his vehicle and drove off. His vehicle eventually crossed the median into I-55 North, the spokeman said.
Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter joined the chase and even tried to set up a road block with a tractor trailer, but Walter said Pratcher's vehicle would not stop.
During the chase, Pratcher tried several times to hit both vehicles driven by Sheriff Walter and Ourth, Walter said.
Two Sikeston officers joined in and chased Pratcher's vehicle up the ramp to Highway 77 at the Benton exit. Pratcher eventually stopped in the middle of 77, Walter said, and tried to run away on foot but was quickly captured by a sheriff's deputy.
Newman was also taken into custody on scene.
According to Walter, Pratcher's vehicle has been described as the suspect vehicle in numerous gasoline thefts in the area during the past week.

Former New Madrid County official charged with stealing

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- A former New Madrid County official is charged stealing from those under her care.
Nancy C. Pardon, who served as New Madrid County public administrator until resigning in August 2008, is accused of stealing at least $25,000 in cash and checks from those she was responsible for as public administrator.
Special prosecuting attorney Douglas S. Pribble with the Missouri attorney general's office filed the charges in New Madrid County on Sept. 25. Following her appearance Sept. 28 before Judge W. Keith Currie, Pardon was released on her own recognizance and scheduled to return to court Wednesday. Currie is an associate circuit judge from Pemiscot County who was appointed after Judge Charles Spitler recused himself because he handles the probate docket in New Madrid County.
In the probable-cause statement, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Dennis A. Overbey said Pardon was appointed guardian of the estate of Evelyn Barnes, who had two bank accounts. The probate court was not advised of the existence of an account containing $35,725.99, Overbey sad.
According to Overbey, within six months the account was drained of all but $81.38, at which time that amount was withdrawn by Pardon and the account closed.
"In six months Nancy Pardon spent $35,725.99 of Ms. Barnes' money on herself. Ms. Barnes did not receive any money from this account once Pardon took control," he said.
The investigative officer noted several other incidents of Pardon writing checks for items at businesses. He said nursing home personnel were not aware of Ms. Barnes receiving any of the items.
Overbey found that from January 2005 through April 2006, $7,050 in checks were written to Billie Sue Whitley and signed by Pardon for cash. After Whitley was moved into a nursing home, Pardon continued to write checks to Billie Sue Whitley and signing them for cash in the amount of $2,384.64, however the nursing home's records do not show Whitley receiving any of the money from the checks.
In another incident, Overbey said, Margie Weaver received a monthly pension of $301.20 that went into a bank account, which Pardon did not report to the probate court. When the court brought the pension to Pardon's attention, he said, she denied any knowledge of it but that same day closed the account.
Nor could Overbey account for all the $5,000 Pardon received from the sale of Ms. Weaver's house.

Tuesday Wreck

A wreck at 3:37 Tuesday resulted in injuries to a local woman and knocked out power to the west end of Dexter for several hours. Police say the van shown above was heading south on Two Mile Rd. and after stopping at the Arvin Rd. intersection, proceeded south into the path of the westbound pickup shown behind the van. East and westbound traffic is not required to stop at the intersection and the truck reportedly slammed into the driver's side of the van. The van's driver, Julie L. Hemerley, 45,, of Dexter, suffered serious injuries and was taken to a Cape Girardeau medical facility. The driver of the pickup truck was Jackie D. Burns, 54, of Puxico, who was not hurt in the accident. Power was knocked out when the impact from one of the vehicles severed a utility pole just west of the intersection. No word was available this morning as to the condition of Hemerley.

Heroin and pot seized in I55 traffic stop

It was learned Monday from the Missouri State Highway Patrol that on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009 at approximately 6:30 p.m., a member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol stopped a 2006 Chevrolet Impala traveling south on Interstate 55 in Pemiscot County for a traffic violation that resulted in two being arrested on drug charges.
Edward D. Ammons, 29, of Jackson, Miss. was the driver of the vehicle stopped. According to Sgt. Dale Moreland of the Patrol, during the course of the traffic stop, the trooper noticed the odor of burnt marijuana. After consent to search the vehicle was obtained, 1,445 capsules of heroin were found in the coat sleeve of a passenger in the vehicle.
The passenger was identified as William P. Frazier, 27, of Jackson, Miss. Ammons and Frazier were both arrested for possession of marijuana 35 grams or less and trafficking drugs, second degree, and were taken to the Pemiscot County Jail.
Both Ammons and Frazier were released from custody after posting 10 percent of their $50,000 bonds.

Traffic stop results in two arrests

Friday, October 23, 2009
BENTON - A traffic stop by a Scott County deputy led to the discovery of methamphetamine and items used in the production of the illegal drug.
Deputy Rhonda Elder arrested David Turner, 25, and Gene Summers, 30, both of Chaffee on Wednesday night after being stopped for a traffic violation.

Family members puzzled, devastated over Cape homicide

Cape Girardeau police had a lot of questions but very few answers Tuesday night as they continued to investigate the deadly shooting of a pregnant mother and her teenage son.
Jamie Orman, 30, and her son Derrick Orman, 15, were found shot to death at 1224 North Missouri Avenue, according to investigators with the Cape Girardeau/Bollinger County Major Case Squad. The house is near Southeast Missouri State University.
Jamie had joint custody of Derrick and her two other sons and the boys simply happened to be out of school on Monday, so they decided to spend some extra time with their mother at her house. That's when someone apparently forced their way in and changed all their lives forever.
"She was my baby sister. She'll always be my baby sister," said Kelly Yates.
She can't believe anyone would kill her 30-year-old pregnant sister and her 15-year-old nephew.
"She has three boys, and one more boy on the way she would have had in December or January," Yates said.
She says she can't say if her sister gave her any indication if there were problems, but police say someone forced their way into the home early Tuesday morning and shot both Jamie and Derrick as they lay in bed. Police confirm the teenager lived long enough to make it out into a hallway where his body was later found.
Police say Jamie's younger sons, 14 and nine, were in another part of the home. Sgt. Jason Selzer with the Cape Girardeau Police Department says the two younger boys have been questioned and they didn't see anything even though they were inside the home. Her 14-year-old son actually made the 911 call a little after 5 a.m.
Selzer says even though someone broke into the home, no one needs to worry about someone running around breaking into homes.
Police say there is evidence of forced entry to a door. Selzer says the suspect most likely targeted at least the female victim.
However, neighbors say they never heard any gunshots.
Jamie's sister says police spoke with both boys, before releasing them into the custody of their father.
"They're dealing the best way they can," she said. "They will have a lot of support around them to help them get through this."
Neighbors who spent the day talking to investigators said how much they enjoyed getting to know Jamie Orman and her live-in boyfriend, who owned the home on North Missouri Avenue.
"Anything they had extra would come our way in the way of food or appliances," said Rick Broniste. "They were just really really good people, couldn't ask for better people." Broniste says the family was looking forward to the Halloween weekend.
He calls some jack-o-lanterns in the yard a painful reminder of what might have been.
Kelly Yates also spent a lot of time reflecting. She talked to her sister Monday night for the last time, and says she only wishes she had spent more time talking to her.
"I was in the middle of doing dishes and told her I would call her later. She's gone now."
The Major Case Squad has been activated. Police won't say if they've found a weapon, but Selzer says 30 officers are working on this case and only this case.
Police say they are talking to everyone in this case that has any connection to the victims, including the father of the boys and Jamie Orman's live in boyfriend, John Lawrence.
Neighbors say he wasn't at home at the time of the shooting. They say he was working at his overnight job at a factory.
Police have not named any suspects or people of interest at this time.
Lawrence owns the home on Missouri Avenue, but his is not the only name on the deed.
According to attorney David Newell, Lawrence's estranged wife Michelle also owned the home and the property is currently part of the couple's divorce proceedings.
Newell confirms John Lawrence filed for divorce back in June of 2008. In fact, a judge just Tuesday morning set a January date for their bench trial.
Newell says Mrs. Lawrence was aware of the killings inside that home when the two spoke Tuesday morning but did not want to comment further on what happened.
Late Tuesday afternoon, Cape Girardeau Police confirmed they talked to both John and Michelle Lawrence and anyone else with a connection to the house where the crime happened.
This Cape Girardeau crime strikes a big blow to the Perry County school district.
Superintendent Kevin Dunn said Derrick Orman was a sophomore at Perryville High School. His two younger brothers also attend school in Perryville.
Dunn says as a school family, they're trying to do everything they can to meet the needs of their students.
Counselors spent time Tuesday at both the high school and middle school and Dunn says they'll be back on campus Wednesday.
Police are calling this a double homicide. However, given the fact that Jamie Orman was pregnant According to Missouri state case law from State of MO v Holcomb, decided on September 9, 1997: "The fact that a mother of a pre-born child may have been granted certain legal rights to terminate the pregnancy does not preclude the prosecution of a third party for murder in the case of a killing of a child not consented to by the mother; thus person who forcibly aborts a fetus against the will of the woman by physically restraining or assaulting the woman may be prosecuted for the murder of the unborn child."

Two Bootheel men are charged with attempted meth manufacturing

Two Bootheel men are now charged with attempting to make meth in Sikeston. 58-year-old Marvin Hornburg of Marston and his nephew, 30-year-old Daniel Hornburg of Lilbourn, are charged with attempting to manufacture methamphetamine. Sikeston DPS and the SEMO Drug Task Force arrested the men Wednesday. Information gathered led police to stop the Hornburgs’ vehicle, where they discovered a meth lab and numerous components for manufacturing meth. The two remain in custody awaiting arraignment. Their bond is set at 50-thousand-dollars, cash only.

Double homicide

Cape Girardeau Police are on the scene of an apparent double homicide this morning.
Two bodies were found Tuesday morning at 1224 Missouri Avenue. The house is near Southeast Missouri State University.
The bodies of a 30-year-old woman and her 15-year-old son were found shot in their own beds, according to the Cape Girardeau Police Department.
Police say a 14-year-old boy in the home called 911 a little after 5 a.m.
The 14 year old and a nine-year-old boy, both sons of the woman, were home at the time of the shooting.
Police say there is evidence of forced entry to a door, but no suspects have been named.
Neighbors say they never heard any gunshots.
Authorities have now removed the bodies from the home. The Cape Girardeau County Coroner tells Heartland News autopsies will be performed Tuesday afternoon.
Police have not released the names of the victims.
The Major Case Squad has been activated. Police won't say if they've found a weapon.