Inside Joplin features news and commentary about Joplin, Missouri, and the surrounding area, including Webb City, Carl Junction, Carthage, Sarcoxie, Neosho, Granby, Seneca, Diamond, Lamar, Golden City, Liberal, Anderson, and Pineville, with information about Jasper, Newton, Barton, and McDonald counties.
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Joplin Police Department Arrests March 30-31
Lamar Police Department Weekly Update
Dispatched calls – 179
Reports – 17
Car stops - 36
DWI/DWI-D - 0
Drugs - 2
Misc. Arrests – 7
Pedestrian/Bicycle Checks - 26
Business and residential checks – 161
3/24/2021 Officer took a report for fraudulent use of a credit device. Investigation continues.
3/25/2021 Officer took a report of property damage in the 1700 block of Lexington. Investigation continues.
3/26/2021 Officer took a report of a stolen purse in the 300 block of E. 12th St. Investigation is continuing.
3/27/2021 Officer was called regarding methamphetamine found in the 1100 block of Cherry. Owner was determined; charges are pending at this time.
3/28/2021 Officer made a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding. During the traffic stop, marijuana and ecstasy were found. Charges are pending.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call 417-682-5054 and speak with Chief Joe Moore or Deputy Chief John Davis.
Newton County Sheriff wants public's help finding these people
The following individuals have outstanding Newton County warrants. We would like the public’s help in locating them.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact our dispatch center at 417-451-8333.
You can also submit anonymous tips from our website.
**Do not attempt to apprehend these individuals**
Seneca Police Department Arrests
McDonald County Sheriff's Office identifies remains of woman found in abandoned house 31 years ago
(From the McDonald County Sheriff's Office)Identification of “Grace Doe"
12-02-1990 Date of initial find for law enforcement.
Called to a scene on Oscar Talley Road of an old abandoned house in reference to a possible dead body. The people that called discovered a skull and called the Sheriff’s Office. At the scene a skull and remains of a badly decomposed body was located.
McDonald County Sheriff’s Office, Coroner’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Benton County Arkansas Sheriff’s Office, and the University of Arkansas anthropologists were all involved in the original crime scene.
A pathologist looked at the remains and estimated to be a white female in the mid to late 20’s.
Dental work was done and we had a dental record was charted by an orthodontist in Columbia, MO.
Lou Keeling was the Sheriff at the time and even with over 220 inquires, the case went cold after they could not figure out who she was and no other leads panned out during the original investigation.
“Grace’s” description was entered into the NCIC system as an Unidentified body along with eventually being in the NamUs system and the CODIS system. DNA was also put into the CODIS system and on file with the University of North Texas Center for Human Remains.
Sheriffs Schlessman, Evenson and Hall all worked on the case and/or had people that would work on the case through the years.
Det. Howard revived it in 2009 by bringing it back up to the forefront and getting the skull with a facial reconstruction expert and FBI Instructor.
From then to present, the Sheriff’s Office has had calls from people from coast to coast with ideas on who “Grace” might be. The Sheriff’s Office followed up on all of those and used dental records and DNA to exclude possible matches from all over the country. Deputies and Sheriffs kept looking over the binder and always looking for leads and following up on different avenues.
In September 2020, Sheriff Hall was contacted by Othram Inc. Othram and Sheriff Hall decided to use advanced DNA testing to identify “Grace."
In January 2021, the Sheriff’s Office received information from Othram Inc. that there were candidate relatives identified for “Grace”. These candidates were identified through genealogy research performed at Othram.
In February, Danielle agreed to contribute a DNA sample and the Topeka, Kansas Police Department agreed to take a sample and send to Lt. Hall. The DNA sample was then forwarded to Othram for testing using a rapid familial test called KinSNPTM.
March 29, 2021 received a call from Othram saying that the DNA from Danielle Pixler was a match to “Grace” as a half-sibling. Shawna Garber was her only half sibling that is missing.
Grace has been identified as Shawna Beth Garber - born March 1, 1968.
The next steps for the Sheriff’s Office will be to try and see if we can trace the whereabouts of Shawna and what might have happened to her.
Lt. Michael S. Hall
McDonald County Sheriff Office
Cherokee County Sheriff warns of utility scam
(From the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office wants to alert residents of an ongoing phone scam which has re-surfaced over the past several days.
"Thieves have been calling residents, fraudulently identifying themselves as a representative of an area utility company, telling the resident they have a past due bill. If the resident doesn't immediately go to a store to and purchase a 'money pack,' the residents' utilities will be immediately shut off," according to Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves.
"It's important to remember, if someone has a balance due with a utility company, they will receive notice by mail, but they will not receive a phone call with a demand for immediate payment through a gift card."
"As we have in the past, our office encourages any resident who receives an unsolicited phone call from anyone demanding immediate payment, regardless of who they claim to be or work for, to hang up and not provide any personal information," concluded Sheriff Groves.
Webb City teen injured in accident west of Springfield
A Webb City man was injured in a one-vehicle accident 4:30 p.m. Tuesday on MO 360, three miles west of Springfield.
According to the Highway Patrol report, a 1991 Chevrolet S-10 driven by Dakota R. Bissonnette, 19, Webb City, traveled off the left side of the roadway, overcorrected, then traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned.
Highway Patrol Arrests March 30-31
Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Cause of structure fire at 1622 S. New Hampshire ruled accidental
(From the Joplin Fire Department)On Friday, 26 March 2021, at 8:21 PM the Joplin Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire at 1622 S New Hampshire Ave.
The Joplin Fire Department responded with 6 units and 17 personnel. The Fire Department was assisted by METS Ambulance Service and the Joplin Police Department. No one was injured on the scene.
The cause of the fire was ruled accidental.
Barton County Marriage Licenses
Bryan Adam Mitchell, 36, Lamar, and Shanna Louise Horsky, 29, Lamar
Joshua Allen Gartner, 37, Jasper, and Tiffany Ann Richards, 36, Jasper
Agenda posted for Joplin Financial Oversight Committee: Memorial Hall meeting
Joplin Police Department Arrests March 29-30
Monday, March 29, 2021
Joplin Police Department Weekend Arrests
Carthage man injured in crash on Nutmeg Road
A Carthage man was injured in a one-vehicle accident 10 a.m. today on Nutmeg Road, five miles north of Carthage.
According to the Highway Patrol report, a 2001 Dodge 1500 truck driven by Nichlaus W. Ford, 26, Carthage, drove through a fence and struck a tree.
Highway Patrol Arrests March 28-29
Sunday, March 28, 2021
Joplin man injured in Stone County motorcycle crash
Highway Patrol Arrests March 27-28
Friday, March 26, 2021
McDonald County Dissolution of Marriage Petitions
Newton County Dissolution of Marriage Petitions
Jasper County Dissolution of Marriage Petitions
U. S. Bankruptcy Court Petitions- Joplin
Joplin Police Department Arrests March 25-26
Agenda posted for Crowder College Board of Trustees meeting
CROWDER COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING Wright Conference Room
National Weather Service offering Severe Weather Preparedness webinar
(From the City of Joplin)
This year the Springfield office of the National Weather Service is offering the webinar, “Severe Weather Preparedness 101” for the public to view on Tuesday, March 30 and Tuesday, April 6. The webinar is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on both days.Viewers will learn more about NWS severe weather forecast products, forecasting approaches, science, sending reports, and how to prepare for the upcoming Spring season.
Citizens can for the webinar at the link below. Please choose which date you will be viewing the webinar when registering. https://www.weather.gov/media/sgf/Outreach/SevereWeatherPreparedness101WebinarRegistration.pdf.
Note: These webinars may be postponed on short notice due to active weather. NWS will communicate these changes via their website and social media channels.
Website: weather.gov/springfield
Twitter: @NWSSpringfield
Facebook: US National Weather Service Springfield Missouri
YouTube: youtube.com/NWSspringfield
Cannot make these dates? Recording will be available on YouTube. Visit our webpage and follow us on Twitter. The class is open to anyone who wishes to attend. There is no charge, nor is there any need to pre-register. A representative from the Springfield Office of the National Weather Service will present interesting weather information for this area.
As the storm season begins, residents are encouraged to have a plan for where to seek shelter during severe weather. They should also have an emergency supplies kit packed with bottled water, non-perishable foods, necessary medications, a flashlight, batteries and a first aid kit.
“Another tool that will help community members be prepared for emergencies is an all-hazards NOAA weather alert radio,” adds Emergency Manager Keith Stammer. “These programmable radios operate on electricity with battery-backup. They can be programmed to receive information for only the counties and topics of interest to the user. They carry alerts and information on severe weather, missing children, public health emergencies, civil emergencies and more.”
The radios can be purchased at local retailers. For more information on preparing for emergencies, go to the Joplin-Jasper County Office of Emergency Management website at http://www.joplinmo.org/221/Plan-Prepare