(From the Barton County Sheriff's Office)
On 6-14-2023 at approximately 7:20 a.m., officers with the Barton County Sheriff's office took a report of a vehicle being stolen at gunpoint in the northeast part of the county.
It was also learned the victim in the theft had been forced into the vehicle at gunpoint by the suspect.
The victim was able to get away from the vehicle and the suspect drove off in the stolen vehicle.
A second vehicle was found in the ditch just west of the victim's residence.
It was learned the vehicle was borrowed from an individual in rural Cedar County.
Cedar County Deputy Clay Jefferies responded to the area to assist with looking for the vehicle. Deputies searched the area but were unable to locate the vehicle.
Information was received from the victim at approximately
10:30 a.m. stating that his vehicle had been located at a farm in rural Dade County, Missouri.
Sheriff John Simpson and Chief Deputy Justin Ehrsam were both in the area looking for the vehicle and responded to the farm to confirm the vehicle was there.
Cedar County Deputy Clay Jefferies was also in the area and responded to assist. Sheriff Simpson requested and was granted permission by Dade County Sheriff Max Huffman for officers to operate inside Dade County.
When officers arrived at the farm, the owners requested officers to search his property including his residence and outbuildings to make sure whoever had left the vehicle there was still not present.
While searching the barn where the vehicle had been left, officers started searching a large stack of hay bales. While searching the hay, officers encountered a male individual hiding in a void in the hay.
The male displayed a pistol, aiming it at officers, then fired it at the officers. Sheriff John Simpson and Chief Deputy Justin Ehrsam returned fire striking the male. Officers removed him from the void and started administering first aid.
When medical personnel arrived on scene, they found the male to be deceased. (He) was identified as Wayne Edwin Simmons of El Dorado Springs, Missouri.
Dade County Sheriff Max Huffman requested Western Missouri Sheriffs Critical Incident Investigations Team to respond to investigate the incident. (The team) is made up of investigators from Cass County, Bates County and Henry County sheriff's offices. After a thorough investigation, the case was turned over to the Dade County prosecuting attorney for review.
On 06-27-2003, Dade County Prosecuting Attorney Marcy Greenwade issued her finding that no criminal charges would be filed in the case and the conduct of the officers was lawful.
