Bates County Sheriff’s Office takes possession of two high tech search and rescue drones

Bates County Sheriff’s Office takes possession of two high tech search and rescue drones.

On 1-19-24 the Bates County Sheriff’s Office received two DJI Matrice 30T drones. The drones were ordered and purchased from the FY23 budget. 

The Sheriff’s Office currently has two smaller DJI Mavic Enterprise drones that have been in service for approximately 3 years now. The Matrice 30T drones have far superior technology and flight time over the Enterprise drones.

The Matrice has almost 2 times the standard flight time, 200x hybrid zoom camera, 2x better thermal imagine with 4 total cameras. The Matrice also has synchronized ground to cloud software that helps with air to ground coordination from a command center.

The Sheriff’s Office drone program is not new to Bates County but is in its 4th year of service. Since the program began, the drone team has been deployed on multiple search and rescue missions and was credited with finding the remains of two deceased individuals on separate calls for service. 

The drones have been deployed to document crime scenes from arsons to homicides. The drones were also deployed on multiple occasions to the Adrian MFA grain bin explosion to assist investigators with observing structure integrity of the building in places that would have been too dangerous to deploy live personnel. 

The drones were instrumental in helping search teams find an 80 year old male who had fallen in the woods and was injured in a large rural area of Butler.

The Sheriff’s Office currently has one licensed operator with a second graduating the FAA course in the next few days. The smaller Enterprise drones will remain in service with one of them being utilized as a flight training unit and the other unit being assigned for the use by the Bates County Sheriff’s Posse.

Drones have become a vital tool in Law Enforcement operations. Our primary use will be search and rescue and aerial crime scene documentation. “This is one more tool in our tool bag that will help us serve the citizens.” Says Sheriff Anderson. “We have UTVs, ATVs, Horses and physical manpower to conduct search and rescue operations but no one tool is the perfect fit for every situation. 

These help us cover large areas in a short period of time which is invaluable when we are talking about your loved ones whether it’s a little child or an elderly person with dementia that walked away from home.”

The Sheriff’s Office is always looking for better and more efficient ways to serve the Citizens of Bates County through modern technology and continued top of the line training of its employees.

Bitterly Cold Through Sunday Morning

Bitterly cold temperatures will continue through Sunday morning, with the coldest wind chills tonight through Saturday morning. 

A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect across the region with a Wind Chill Warning for northern Missouri Tonight. There's some more modest temperatures on the horizon along with some rain for Monday into Tuesday.

Obituary - Joyce Kay Cooper

Joyce Kay Cooper, 79, Nevada, MO, passed away on Thursday, January 18, 2024 at Moore-Few Care Center in Nevada following a lengthy illness. Joyce was born October 10, 1944 in LaJunta, CO to Clarence Alvin and Laura Frances (Wray) Nachbar. She married Forrest L. “Frosty” Cooper on November 19, 1967 in Adrian, MO and he preceded her in death in 1977.

Joyce was raised in Adrian and graduated from Adrian High School in 1962. She worked for a pecan plant in Butler, MO for a number of years, and then lived for many years in Rockville, MO where she enjoyed being a farmwife and homemaker. Joyce later came to Nevada and operated Trails End Restaurant with her sister, Loretta Roadcap for several years, followed by working in housekeeping at Culpepper Place until her retirement.

Survivors include a son, Darren Cooper (Mirriah), Nevada; three grandchildren, Matt Cooper (Kendra), Nevada, Eli Olsen, Webb City, Kenlie Cooper, Nevada; three great-grandchildren, Isiah, Darren, and David; a brother, Elroy White, Nevada; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Frosty, she was preceded in death by her parents; one grandson, Keith Cooper; a sister, Loretta Roadcap; and a brother, Coley Nachbar.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 25, 2024 at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada with Pastor Jeff Adams officiating. Interment will follow in Kidd’s Chapel Cemetery, Lowery City, MO. The family will receive friends from 5-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested in her name to Good Shepherd Hospice in c/o Ferry Funeral Home.

Semi truck fire east of Rich Hill

Shortly after 1 P.M. Rich Hill Fire Department responded to a residence east of town for a semi on fire and a truck on fire. The semi and the truck were located between a house and a shop.

Firefighters Cowley and Bonham responded in Engine 1 and Tanker 1. And was able to quickly knock the fire down.

Thank you to Butler Fire and Compton Junction Fire for mutual aid. And thank you to Bates County EMS for being on Standby.

Obituary - Cecil Clyde Dingus

Cecil Clyde Dingus, age 80 of Pleasanton, Kansas passed away at his home on January 8, 2024. Cecil was born the son of Chester & Ina E. McGregor Dingus at the family home in La Cygne, Kansas on February 17, 1943. 

 He lived in Linn County most of his life, except for about ten years, when he lived in Wichita working at Boeing. Cecil enjoyed walking, riding his bicycle and working on keeping his yard cleaned up.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Marvin, Carl and Clarence Dingus and six sisters, Eva Thompson, Ruth & Elizabeth Dingus, Donna Shahan, Katherine Dabbs and Nellie Davis. Cecil is survived by his brother, Robert (RJ, Uncle Runt) Dingus and his wife, Sue, and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Service will be at 11 am, Saturday, January 20th at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Pleasanton Chapel. Visitation will be from 10 am until service time. Burial will be in the Battlefield Cemetery. 

The family suggests memorial contributions to the Alzheimer's Association. Online condolences may be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com

Obituary - Robert Curtis Query

Robert Curtis Query, age 66, a resident of rural Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away unexpectedly Thursday, January 18, 2024, at his home. He was born July 28, 1957, in Ft. Scott, the son of Lawrence H. “Jack” Query and Alberta “Mae” Duncan Query. Robert graduated from the Ft. Scott High School with the Class of 1975. He married Lori James on May 9, 1981, in Pittsburg, Kansas.

For many years, Robert owned and operated his own muffler business. He started working in Pittsburg and later moved his business, R & R Muffler Shop, to Ft. Scott. Robert also ran his own cattle operation, the -BQ Ranch, and served two terms as Bourbon County Commissioner. Robert was a talented welder and woodworker. He loved working on cars.

Robert still owned the ‘67 Chevelle he drove in high school and had worked hard to restore this vehicle. In earlier years, he enjoyed playing pool, bird hunting and fishing. Robert loved his motorcycle and was fortunate enough to take many trips throughout the United States including several trips to Sturgis. Robert never knew a stranger and was always happy to visit with his many friends.

Survivors include his wife, Lori, of the home; two daughters, Jacki Lundberg (Josh) and Jill McAdams (Mac) all of Ft. Scott and two grandchildren Joslyn and Ty Lundberg. Also surviving is a brother, Dwayne Query of Rochester, Illinois and a sister, Marjorie Schwalm of Ft. Scott. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Mae Query and a sister, Marilyn Walker Love.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Sunday, January 21st at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the Large Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 P.M. Saturday at the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Bourbon County Kansas man arrested on child sex crimes

On Wednesday January 17th around 12:30 a.m. the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office arrested 28 year old Caleb J. Shaner.

Mr. Shaner was arrested on the following 1.) Aggravated indecent liberties with a child 2.) Aggravated indecent solicitation of a child. The incidents were said to take place with a 5 year old child.

Caleb J. Shaner was booked into the Bourbon County Jail in Fort Scott, Kansas and he is currently being held on $100,000 bond. 

Disclaimer: Arrest records are public information. Any indication of an arrest does not mean the individual identified has been convicted of a crime. All persons arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Arrests made after human remains found in Cedar County

An investigation conducted by the Cedar County Sheriff's Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol and St. Clair County Sheriff's Office has resulted in the recovery of human remains from brush and wood fire in a rural area of Cedar County. 

It is believed that the body was placed in the fire on or about January 16, 2024 in an attempt to destroy or conceal evidence of a crime. The identity of the deceased has not been confirmed at this time.

As a result of the investigation Bradley E. Keith of Eldorado Springs, Brandon Choate of Lamar and Jimi C. Cole from Stockton have been arrested and charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence in Felony Prosecution and Felony Abandonment of a Corps. All are currently being held in the Cedar County Jail.

Further information regarding this investigation will be provided when it is available.

Disclaimer: Arrest records are public information. Any indication of an arrest does not mean the individual identified has been convicted of a crime. All persons arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.