Missouri State Highway Patrol Website New 2021 (MSHP)

Patrol arrests north Missouri man on allegations of failure to register as a sex offender and drug possession

A Bethany man was arrested in Harrison County on Tuesday afternoon. The patrol accused 45-year-old Jeffrey Spicer of a felony of alleged failure to register as a sex offender and possession of methamphetamine. Traffic violations alleged by the state patrol are failure to display valid license plates, no insurance, and no seat belt. Spicer was […]

Eric Greitens (Photo is screenshot from Eric Greitens YouTube channel)

Eric Greitens’ claims of conspiracy called ‘nonsense’ in new filings in Missouri custody case

(Missouri Independent) – Attorneys for Eric Greitens’ former campaign manager argued in new filings that the ex-Missouri governor is using the court to buttress his claims of conspiracy, harass his political enemies and boost his campaign for U.S. Senate. In a newly public filing in the child custody dispute in Boone County between Eric Greitens […]

Yard signs for GOP Senate candidates greet Republicans attending Boone County Lincoln Days Friday in Columbia (Rudi Keller - Missouri Independent)

No signs of support for Greitens in Missouri county where abuse charges will be heard

(Missouri Independent) –  A smattering of giggles greeted the name of former Gov. Eric Greitens Friday evening when emcee Branden Rathert called for the U.S. Senate candidates invited to speak at Boone County Republican Lincoln Days to come forward. Up to that point, there had been no trace of Greitens or his campaign at the […]

Missouri Supreme Court

Supreme Court refuses to hear Kim Gardner appeal in Eric Greitens records case

(Missouri Independent) – It will be up to a St. Louis judge to decide how long Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner has to produce records sought by a journalist considered an ally of former Gov. Eric Greitens. The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear a last-ditch appeal by Gardner of an order giving her […]

Indictment graphic with gavel and file folder

Three separate indictments handed down in Harrison County involving murder, assault and sex crimes involving a child

Grand jury indictments were filed in Harrison County this week on three men. Forty-one-year-old Travis William Gilliland of Ridgeway has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Bail was set at $250,000 for all counts. A probable cause affidavit accused Gilliland of shooting and killing Lynn Trammell in March. Fifty-eight-year-old Stephen Marshall of […]

Jeffrey Perkins

Trenton man charged with multiple sex crimes in Daviess County including incest, rape, sodomy, child molestation and domestic assault

A Trenton man faces multiple sex-related felony charges in Daviess County stemming from alleged incidents with a blood descendant beginning in 2020 and extending to March 2022. Thirty-four-year-old Jeffery Perkins has been charged with two counts of first-degree child molestation and two counts of second-degree child molestation. He also has been charged with one count […]

Prison Inmate or Prison Worker

Audio: Bill to allow offenders to work for reduced prison sentences advances to Missouri Senate

An effort aimed at giving convicts a second chance and lessening the chance of a return to prison is headed to the Missouri Senate.     That bill would create the Earning Safe Reentry Through Work Act.  The bipartisan measure would offer some Class E felons to work for time off their sentences. Representative Wes […]

Guilty Plea

Brookfield man charged with 33 counts of child porn withdraws “not guilty” plea

A Brookfield man charged with 33 counts of felony possession of child pornography involving a first offense and other felonies has withdrawn his plea of not guilty and entered a guilty plea. Forty-five-year-old James Dean Jackson entered a plea of guilty in Linn County Circuit Court to three counts. They were two counts of felony […]

Democrats block Hawley’s bill to get tough on child sex offenders

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) went to the Senate Floor on Tuesday to call for unanimous consent to pass his “Protect Act of 2022” which protects children from sexual exploitation by enhancing the penalties for possessing child pornography and preventing judges from sentencing offenders below federal guidelines. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) objected and blocked the […]

Rape Kit or DNA Testing

Missouri clearing backlog of untested, unreported rape kits, getting FBI matches on suspect DNA

In a major milestone, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced at a press conference earlier that the Attorney General’s Office has worked with 169 law enforcement agencies to clear their backlogs of untested, report sexual assault kits. In total, 3,298 untested, reported kits have been sent to the lab to be tested. Further, because of […]

Eric Greitens (Photo is screenshot from Eric Greitens YouTube channel)

Women within Missouri GOP speak out against Eric Greitens as party remains silent

(Missouri Independent) – In just two weeks since allegations of domestic violence surfaced, Eric Greitens’ campaign for the U.S. Senate has been under siege from fellow Republicans urging him to drop out of the race.  With one notable exception. The state party, which in recent years has denounced several candidates running under the GOP banner for […]

Photo of Trenton High School building with the sign "Trenton High School" or THS

Trenton High School music students take top honors at competition in St. Joseph

Numerous music students at Trenton High School have qualified for state competition following the district events Saturday in St. Joseph. The Trenton High School vocal music department qualified seven entries for the state music contest on April 29th in Columbia. The Trenton High School instrumental music department qualified six entries and they have the opportunity […]

Planned Parenthood

Control of Title X federal family planning funds remains with Missouri nonprofit

(Missouri Independent) – Despite facing competition from the state health department, the nonprofit Missouri Family Health Council Inc. will continue to administer federal Title X family planning funds. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded more than $250 million in Title X funding this week, including $5.3 million to Missouri. That money helps pay […]

Scott Adams

Hamilton man allegedly attempts to set fire to his home with wife and two children inside

A Hamilton man faces multiple felony charges after he allegedly tried to set fire to his house on March 31st while his wife and two children were inside. Thirty-one-year-old Scott Clay Adams has been charged with first-degree attempted arson, second-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action, and two counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a […]

Josh Hawley Courtesy of Missourinet

Hawley introduces “PROTECT Act of 2022” which will toughen sentences for child porn offenders

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the PROTECT Act of 2022, which protects children from sexual exploitation by enhancing the penalties for possessing child pornography and by preventing judges from sentencing offenders below federal guidelines. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Representative Ken Buck (CO-4) is […]