KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Murder charges have been filed regarding the Cassidy Rainwater, 33, case.
A missing person report was filed for Rainwater Aug. 25, but the last time she had been seen was around six weeks prior to the report.
It was then believed that the last person to have seen her was James Rainwater, 58, who the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office later found out was James Phelps.
Phelps adamantly told detectives Rainwater was heading for Colorado.
However, an FBI tip of photos of a partially clothed woman in a cage led detectives to Phelps, where they were able to confirm items in his backyard matched the photos and the woman was Rainwater.
In October, Phelps and Timothy Norton, 56, were charged with the kidnapping of Rainwater.
The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday additional murder charges have been filed after remains were identified.
“Skeletal remains believed to be Cassidy were located on the adjacent property. Also recovered from the scene was digital evidence from electronic devices,” according to a sheriff’s office release. “In total, over 200 pieces of evidence were recovered. The remains found in the freezer were confirmed by the crime lab to be Cassidy Rainwater. Digital evidence revealed messages between James Phelps and Timothy Norton planning the murder of Cassidy Rainwater.”
This incident is still under investigation.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to call the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office at 417-345-2441.
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For jurisdictions that utilize the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline, anonymous tips can be made by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.
