Job fair March set for March 18th has been postponed

The job fair set for this Friday sponsored the West Central Missouri Community Action Agency has been postponed until a later date. The fair was to be held at the Bates County Memorial Hospital; we will advise when a new date has been set.

Obituary - Shirley Ard

Shirley Ard, 77, Adrian, MO died Friday, March 11, 2011 at Bates County Memorial Hospital in Butler, MO. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 18, 2011 at the Girard Cemetery in Girard, Kansas, under the direction of Atkinson Funeral Home in Adrian, MO. No visitation.

Circuit Court News March 7-11th

CIRCUIT COURT OF BATES COUNTY, COURT NEWS 
JAMES K JOURNEY, JUDGE 
Diana L Rich, Clerk 
 MAR 7-11, 2011

Ronald Eugene Campbell v John Wayne Pettibon, Petition for Order of Protection filed. 

James Parker Fuqua v Krystal Diane Fuqua, Petition for Dissolution of Marriage filed. 

Kraig Thompson v Danny Argo, Petition for Order of Protection filed. 

Levi J Feuerborn  v. Arthur Leroy Yohe, Petition for Damages filed, Petition for Damages filed. 

Lillian DeTienne v Terry Wynn Randolph, Petition for Order of Protection filed. 

Wilma J McElwain v Jerald R McElwain, Dissolution of Marriage is granted. 

Kenyon E Diehl v Peter Pond, Petition for Order of Protection filed. 

Brian Irwin v Hazel D Irwin, Dissolution of Marriage is granted. 

St v John Randy Jo Alan Parker, Felony DWI, Persistent Offender, set for 3-21-11. 

St v. Gregory L Dukes, Felony possession/sale of equipment with altered ID numbers, set for 4-18-11. 

St v. Sandy K Sipp, Felony burglary, set for 4-18-11. 

St v.Douglas D Derry, Felony possession/distribution of controlled substance, methamphetamines, set for 4-18-11. 
Cory S Deckert v Angela Deckert, Petition for Dissolution of Marriage  filed 

Chuck Michael Sisk v Jayne Marie Sisk, Petition for Dissolutin of Marriage filed. 

Michael L Rumpeltes v. Rhonda S Rumpeltes, Petition for Dissolution of Marriage filed. 

Ashton L Savage v Glennon E Hendrix, Jr., Full Order of Protection is entered. 

Linda L Inglehart v Shawnee Knapp, Petition for Order of Protection filed.

Some good news for a change: warmer!

Today

Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. South winds 15 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight

Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph shifting to the northwest 5 to 10 mph after midnight.

Former employee pleads guilty in water district theft

Valerie Jill Berry, 36, of Butler plead guilty in Federal Court on six counts in the theft of nearly $78,000.00 from Public Water Supply districts #1 and #6 in Bates County. Under oath, Berry confessed to stealing cash receipts and plead guilty to all charges in April of last year.

Further, to conceal the thefts, it has been determined that Berry submitted fraudulent reports to the office of the state auditor for PWSD #1 and false information to an independent auditor of PWSD #6, causing the auditors to submit false information to the state.

Berry now faces up to 20 years without parole in a federal prison plus a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. The case has been under investigation by the FBI and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Linda Parker Marshall.

We will provide sentencing information as it becomes available.

More information released in double homicide case

The Jackson County Medical Examiner's Office has determined that both women found in the partially burned home had been shot before the fire was set. One of the women has been identified as Brandee Bickleman, 35. The name of the other female is yet to be released. 

Bickleman's ex-boyfriend, Raymond Samuel Harvey Jr., 38, was arrested last night and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and one count of second-degree arson. Bail has been set at $10,000,000.

According to court documents, Harvey said he lived at the home up until 10 days before the fire. The documents said Bickleman told a sheriff's deputy that he had gotten into a fight with Bickleman on Tuesday night.

Court documents also said Harvey told his mother and sister that he knew victims were dead before the fire.

In a press release earlier today, the Bates County Sheriff's office indicated that Harvey was convicted of rape in 1992 and served 17 years in prison. He had been out of prison on parole for about two years.

Arrest made in connection to deadly fire near Virginia

Raymond Harvey

The Bates County Sheriff's Office made an arrest last night at approximately 9:45 p.m. of a suspect in the double homicide in rural Bates County.

Arrested was Raymond Samual Harvey Jr., 38. Raymond is the ex-boyfriend of one victim Brandee E. Bickleman.

Yesterday, the Bates County Sheriff's Office responded to a residential fire in the Virginia community. On arrival Deputies found the house to be a working fire. After the fire was contained the Fire Department advised that there were two victims found deceased inside the residence.

The name of the other victim has not been released at this time.

Harvey is a registered sex offender for a previous conviction of Rape from a 1992 case out of Jackson County Mo. Harvey served 17 years in prison and had been out on parole for approximately 2 years.

A warrant was issued by the Bates County Prosecutor for 2 counts of 1st degree murder, 2 counts of armed criminal action, and one count of 2 degree arson.

Harvey's bond was set at $10,000,000.00 cash or surety.

Media blackout regarding fire investigation

Local news agencies have been swamped with phone calls and emails from folks wanting to get more information regarding the fire which claimed two lives near Virginia yesterday. As the deaths have been ruled a homicide, local authorities remain silent as the investigation continues at this time.

However, we are expecting to receive some type of press release information from the Bates County Sheriff's Department in the near future, possibly this afternoon.