A Clinton man has been accused of dumping the rifle officials believe was used in the shooting death of Clinton Police Officer Gary Michael.
William Grant Noble, 35, is charged with tampering with physical evidence.
The charge claims Noble threw the rifle into a body of water north of Clinton, knowing it had been used in the crime and with intent to conceal it from investigators, according to a news release from the Henry County Prosecutor’s Office.
The Missouri Highway Patrol found the rifle on Thursday afternoon in a creek about two miles north of Clinton.
Law enforcement said Noble and Ian McCarthy, the man charged in Michael’s death, are acquaintances.
Officers interviewed Noble on Thursday and he agreed to show them the firearms he had in his home in Clinton. That included guns he kept in a safe.
According to the probable cause statement, Noble saw the gun safe was damaged and began acting suspicious. He asked the officers what type of weapon was used in the murder, to which one of the officers said Noble knew the answer to that question.
Police say he began to act upset and faked crying, saying he had sold the gun to McCarthy.
He then provided a written statement to the officers about the sale but changed his story, admitting he bought the rifle for McCarthy, who apparently couldn’t buy one for himself in Missouri.
He said he gave the gun to McCarthy the day he purchased it.
As the officers were getting ready to leave, they asked McCarthy if he knew where the gun was located.
He told them he came home one day to find the rifle leaning against a doorway in his home. He said he panicked, told his wife he was taking out the trash, and drove north of town, where he threw the gun in a body of water.
He told the officers he couldn’t tell them exactly where the gun was at the moment but that he could take them to the place where he had thrown it, at the intersection of NW 300th Road and NW 131st Road.
Noble got out of the car and pointed to the water, where one of the officers could see the stock of the rifle under the water.
The rifle matched the description of the weapon used to kill Officer Michael.
The felony is punishable by up to four years in the Department of Corrections.
The court has issued a warrant with a bond of $25,000 cash only, according to the news release.
Michael was killed during a traffic stop Sunday night. McCarthy was caught Tuesday night. He's charged with first-degree murder and felony armed criminal action.
Extended coverage:
McCarthy charged with murder in Clinton cop slaying, booked into county jail
Clinton community comes together after officer is shot, killed in traffic stop turned violent
Body of fallen officer Gary Michael escorted back to Clinton
MSHP finds rifle believed to be used in shooting death of Officer Gary Michael
Photos of fallen Clinton officer in training
Family remembers Clinton, Missouri officer Gary Michael
Photos: Kansas, Missouri officers killed in the line of duty since 1997
