The RENPHO Foot Massager Machine may be just the gift to make Mothers Day extra special for your mom this year. After she was dead, he said, theyd taken her outside and bound her to the gantry crane, where Phelps began eviscerating and dismembering her. On Sept. 16, the FBI received an anonymous tip about photos that appeared to depict a partially clothed Rainwater confined to a cage. 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. Norton stated he helped Phelps carry Cassidy's body into the house and placed her into the bathtub.". This was less than 24 hours after the home where Phelps was staying burned to the ground. Norton was arrested on September 20 after speaking to authorities. Dallas County Sheriff's Office Detectives then identified. Cassidy Rainwater was last seen in mid-July. Cassidy Rainwater murder suspect gets life in prison. Court documents reveal that beyond showing Rainwater in a cage, additional photos the FBI had shared with county detectives in September showed Rainwaters body bound to a gantry crane device (commonly used for processing wild game), and depicted her evisceration and dismemberment. Authorities had also found what were confirmed by lab testing to be Rainwaters remains packaged in a freezer and dated 7-24, court documents said, and had discovered skeletal remains on the property that they believe to be Rainwaters, as well. Cassidy Rainwater (Dallas County Sheriff's Office) Some of Rainwater's remains were found in an adjacent property and in a freezer with "7-24" written on them, authorities said. Cassidy Rainwater's remains were found labeled "7-24" in a freezer. He told investigators he was an over-the-road trucker and lives in his truck even when he was not actively working, police said. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, were hit with the murder counts as well as being charged with abandonment of a corpse. More than a month after their arrests, no additional charges had been filed against Phelps and Norton. Cassidy Rainwater's remains were found labeled "7-24" in a freezer. According to the Sheriffs Office, Norton was interviewed on Sept. 20, and eventually confessed to the murder of Rainwater. He said that Rainwater had been talking about going to Colorado. Messages between Phelps and Norton showed the two men planning the murder of Cassidy Rainwater, police said. 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. James Phelps . Sheriffs officials have said that Phelps said he did but that he hadnt spoken to her in roughly a month. (TCD) -- Two Missouri men accused of kidnapping Cassidy Rainwateralso face murder charges after Rainwater's dismembered remains were found in a freezer and on a nearby property. ", The statement adds: "Detectives recognized items in Phelps back yard that coincided with the photos. He noted there is a lot of misinformation circulating in the case. More: Murder charges filed, gruesome details released in Cassidy Rainwater case. Investigators say Rainwater, a 33-year old woman with ties to Dallas, Greene and Laclede counties, disappeared on July 25. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. DNA tests returned to Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice confirmed Rainwaters flesh was found in a freezer. 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. In September, Phelps twice told investigators that Rainwater was staying with him while she got on her feet, but he said he hadn't seen her since she left about a month ago and that she was going to Colorado, Rice said. Phelps and Norton were initially charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping, facilitating a felony, inflicting injury, and terrorizing. "Norton stated, after entering the house, he held Cassidy's legs down while Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head. Two men were charged with first-degree murder on Wednesday after human remains found inside a freezer at a Missouri home were positively identified through DNA testing as Cassidy Rainwater, who was photographed half-naked inside a cage after she went missing before suffering a grisly death. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. 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. The Dallas County Sheriff's Office laid out the case on social media today, announcing details surrounding the murder. ", After the 33-year-old woman was dead, "he and Phelps took a short break before carrying her body outside," according to the statement. 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. A report, first obtained by local news outlet, Murder Charges Filed, Human Remains Found in Missouri Case That Fueled Gruesome TikTok Rumors, It Is Easy for a Person to Disappear: Accused Murderer Suggests Missing Wife Ran Away, E. 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The little I did watch I didnt hear anything bad, and then all of a sudden Im hearing about a guy whos got women locked up, and possible torture. Investigators say Norton admitted to holding down Rainwaters legs while Phelps strangled her. On Monday, the Dallas County Sheriffs Officereleased a statement on Facebookstating that the FBI has recovered several items that will be used to further the investigation. The new charges included first-degree murder and abandonment of a corpse after DNA tests returned to the Dallas County Sheriffs Office confirmed the death of Rainwater. 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. Phelps' house later burned to the ground in what investigators determined was arson. A trial date had not been set. Deputies searched the property for seven days, according to the Dallas County Sheriffs Department. Heres How, Roy Wood Jr. According to court documents, hed told agents Phelps asked him to come over while Rainwater was sleeping. To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Police have not yet given a motive for the grisly crime, but they say Phelps and Norton planned it in advance. 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. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been in custody since mid-September, charged with first-degree kidnapping, facilitating a felony, inflicting injury and terrorizing. Phelps is scheduled to be back in court May 19, while Norton is scheduled to be back in court May 2. Per court records, that is when he admitted details to authorities about restraining Rainwater back in July. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Cassidy Rainwater's remains were recently identified. According to a statement from the Dallas County Sheriff's Office, Norton allegedly "confessed to the murder of Cassidy Rainwater," who was reported missing on Aug. 25. When police visited Phelps property, they found the same scene from the photographs provided by the FBI, according to an affidavit by Dallas County Sheriffs Department Sergeant Robby Simmons. The Law Did Not Treat Them Kindly. During the hearing, prosecutors asked for 45 days until the preliminary hearing due to the number of witnesses needed. , updated The defense opposed this request based on state Supreme Court requirement that allows for only a 30-day period. Authorities have said there is no reason to believe that there are other victims associated with Mr Phelps and Mr Norton, and that the investigation is ongoing. man accused of kidnapping Cassidy Rainwater burns to the ground, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Two accused of kidnapping Cassidy Rainwater appear in Dallas County court, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Neighbor speaks on fire and Dallas Co. investigation of Cassidy Rainwater, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dallas County sheriff addresses rumors in disappearance case of Cassidy Rainwater, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Investigators found incendiary device during fire at home at center of kidnapping case in Dallas County, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Missouri State Fire Marshal rules fire at home of kidnapping in Dallas County as arson, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Attorneys for James Phelps request new judge in kidnapping case of Cassidy Rainwater, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dallas County sheriff confirms remains found on James Phelps property as Cassidy Rainwater, PREVIOUS COVERAGE: A closer look at the relationship between James Phelps and Timothy Norton, EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Dallas County sheriff explains whats next in case of Cassidy Rainwater. Dallas County authorities said James Phelps and Timothy Norton kidnapped Ms Rainwater around the time of her disappearance, allegedly forcing her into a cage. Dallas County Sheriff's Office Phelps' home was destroyed by fire on Oct. 4. She was reported missing in late August 2021 by a woman named Cora Terry. Police have now upped the charges against both men to first-degree murder. After tests confirmed that the labeled remains found in a freezer inside Phelps rented home were Rainwaters, the charges were upgraded to murder several weeks later. Details about the death of a 33-year-old woman whose remains were discovered in a freezer have been revealed, a month after authorities asked online sleuths to stop speculating about her disappearance. Nearly four months after Cassidy Rainwater went missing, the Dallas County prosecutor officially upgraded charges against Phelps and Norton. Norton is said to have told investigators that Phelps then bound her to the gantry crane and dismembered her. James D. Phelps, 60, was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and abandonment of a corpse in the case of 33-year-old Cassidy Rainwater. A woman who knew Rainwater personally and knows of the suspects spoke with KY3 on the condition of anonymity. Murder charges have been filed in Missouri against two men accused of killing and dismembering Cassidy Rainwater. Shes a member of the investigative team focusing on watchdog journalism. They had previously been charged with kidnapping. During that interview, police said Norton confessed that he knew Cassidy Rainwater was being held at the home of James Phelps in a cage. The Sheriffs Office said Norton told FBI agents that Phelps asked him to come over to his home, and he held Cassidys legs down as "Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head" before bounding Rainwater to the gantry crane where they started the "evisceration and dismemberment of Cassidys body.". On Sept. 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. Cassidy Rainwater Dallas County Sheriff's Office That tip led the FBI to Dallas County, about 160 miles southeast of Kansas City, and launched what became a secretive, weeks-long criminal. Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice said Wednesday in a Facebook post that the seven photos also showed Rainwater's body on a gantry crane, which is commonly used for deer processing, where she was disemboweled and dismembered before her body was placed in a bathtub. Phelps entered an Alford plea, a type of guilty plea in which a defendant maintains their innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have sufficient evidence for a conviction. When police followed up on this tip, they found seven photos on Phelps phone that led to his arrest. Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com Photos from FBI investigators that were included in court documents on Wednesday also showed her dismembered and semi-naked body that was allegedly strapped into a device. Mr Norton will reportedly plead not guilty and appear in court on Friday, after admitting that he strangled Ms Rainwater, according to Fox4. Deputies report they found other DNA belonging to Cassidy on an adjacent property belonging to the late Bill Rainwater, Cassidy's grandfather. Two men are charged with her murder after photos showed her evisceration and dismemberment By Andrea Marks November 18,. She asked us to conceal her identity for her protection. About a week later, a Dallas County detective went to Moon Valley Road and spoke to Phelps about the missing-person case. Phelps was arrested at the scene on Sept. 16. Warner Bros. Entertainment | Norton was arrested Sept. 21. against Timothy Norton, 56, and James Phelps, 58, in a statement on Facebook, and court documents reveal new disturbing details of the case. 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Man Who Vanished Over a Month Ago Found in Barrel of Concrete, Pa. Woman Accused of Killing and Dismembering Parents with Chainsaw, Burning Body Found in Fire Pit Following Welfare Check on Missouri Student with Autism, and Woman Is Charged, Brian Walshe, Husband of Missing Mass. Phelps was arrested and sent to the Dallas County Jail, where he is currently in custody. "Phelps stated that, about a month prior, Cassidy had met a vehicle at the end of the driveway and left in the middle of the night," the statement alleges. 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. They Refused to Fight for Russia. Cassidy Rainwater's remains found on accused kidnappers' property in Missouri, court docs reveal During a search, investigators on the scene of the Moon Valley Road property found the. She said she cant wrap her head around all of this. The defendants' attorneys could not be reached for comment. It appears that the land has been in the Phelps family for years as multiple people have used that address, according to online court records. One day later, police brought back Norton to interview him again. 24. 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 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. An Alford plea does not admit guilt but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict if the case had gone to trial. And some say to the community. The red dot is where Phelps' cabin sits. Digital. Whether its a short vacation or theyre jetting off to begin their career, show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift. The FBI contacted Dallas County Sheriff's Office saying they had received an anonymous tip that Cassidy Rainwater was caged up on a property rented by Phelps. Missing Missouri Woman Was Gutted and Stashed in Freezer, Police Reveal SCENE OF HORROR Cassidy Rainwater's alleged kidnappers have been unmasked as her alleged murderers, as police reveal. Cassidy was at the property looking for her missing mother. On Nov. 17, the Dallas County prosecutor filed first-degree murder charges against James Phelps and Timothy Norton in Rainwaters death. The tipster advised there was a photo showing a missing person, Cassidy Rainwater, being held in a cage in a partially nude state. Because of both the complexity of death penalty cases and full case loads for a small staff, they tend to be more drawn out. Phelps will be in court in Dallas County on Friday . 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. Deputies went to Phelps home at 386 Moon Valley Road near Windyville and asked if he knew Rainwater. On September 16, the FBI provided the photos of Rainwater to Dallas County detectives, who arrested Phelps. Investigators ruled the blaze an arson and found two. According 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. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been charged with the kidnapping of Cassidy Rainwater. It was not immediately clear if Phelps had an attorney. After receiving the information from the FBI, deputies went back out to Moon Valley Road and recognized items in Phelps backyard that coincided with the photos.. The home caught fire during the evening hours of Oct. 4. 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. ", 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. In a September announcement of Phelps arrest, Sheriff Scott Rice had said, Due to the extreme nature of the, In the weeks following the arrest, rumors spread on, trespass, litter, vandalize, harass, or destroy property., In another strange development, on Oct. 4, a, started at Phelps property where Rainwaters remains were found burned the house to the ground. Authorities say they have no reason to believe there are any other victims associated with Phelps and Norton at this time.. See Kelce Jam, One person killed, four others injured in crash in Kansas City, Kansas, Jury finds father guilty in 2017 fatal shooting of his childrens mother in Kansas City, Two charged for allegedly stealing NFL jerseys designated for top picks at NFL Draft, Woman found dead in Kansas City apartment on Saturday after caller alerted police, Three men killed in two shootings thought by police to be connected, KCPD says, In fatally shooting man in moving car, KCK cops used tactic discouraged by experts. He said she had been talking about going to Colorado. He said hed held Rainwaters legs while Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head. 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. Police interviewed Timothy Norton on the disappearance of Rainwater. After entering, they say, Norton said he held Cassidys legs down while Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head..