A Denver, Missouri man, whose charges include second-degree murder and abandonment of a corpse, has waived a preliminary hearing in Worth County Circuit Court.
Cases for 39-year-old Jeremiah Searles have been certified to Division One of Circuit Court for Thursday, December 10th.
Searles was arrested after the missing person investigation came to a close in September when law enforcement discovered the body of Melissa Lynn Chapman. A homicide investigation identified Searles as the suspect. The case was moved to Worth County on a change of venue from Harrison County. Authorities have said Chapman was scheduled to testify in court against Searles.
Four other felony cases from earlier this year were moved to Mercer County with Searles scheduled to appear Wednesday, December 10th. Charges include kidnapping facilitating a felony and inflicting injury; first-degree domestic assault; and abuse or neglect of a child.
