Press Release – 09-03-16

UPDATE: Charges in Arson/Homicide Investigation South of Camdenton

At approximately 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 3rd, deputies and detectives from the Camden County Sheriff’s Office, working closely with the Missouri State Highway Patrol SWAT team and the Jefferson City Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, arrested 54 year old Steven Ray Endsley, of Camdenton.  Endsley was arrested for the murders of 27 year old Danielle M Smith and her mother, 61 year old Teresa A Jackson. 

Smith’s and Jackson’s bodies were discovered in the remains of their burned out trailer home on the morning of August 29th.  Their identities had not been released until their next of kin were notified.  Endsley was their next door neighbor and, according to witnesses, had been in an ongoing disagreement with Smith over her sexual orientation.  The FBI is assisting the CCSO in investigating the possibility of the murders being a hate crime linked to that disagreement.

Two other adult members of Endsley’s family were taken into custody for questioning at the time of his arrest. Neither of those family members have been charged with a crime, so their identities will not be released pending the results of the continuing investigation.

Steven R Endsley is charged with two counts of the Class A Felony of 1st Degree Murder, two counts of Felony Armed Criminal Action, one count of the Class B Felony of 1st Degree Burglary, and one count of the Class C Felony of 2nd Degree Arson.  Endsley is being held without bond and will appear before the court on October 4th.   

More information will follow when appropriate.

 

Press Release – 09-01-16

UPDATE: Arson/Homicide Investigation South of Camdenton

Forensic pathologists with Southwest Forensics conducted an autopsy on Wednesday, August 31st on the two deceased persons discovered in the burned trailer off Floyds Rd on Monday morning.  Preliminary results of the autopsy confirm both of the deceased persons were victims of homicide prior to the fire. 

The identity of the victims can not be confirmed until DNA samples are compared to presumed family members. Camden County detectives are working with the families of the two presumed victims in an effort to speed up that process. 

The cause of the fire is confirmed by the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office as arson. There was evidence in the fire scene of an accelerant being used.  Currently there is no suspect in custody, but the investigation continues.

More information will follow when appropriate.

 

Press Release – 08-31-16

UPDATE: Arson/Homicide Investigation South of Camdenton

Camden County Detectives, working in conjunction with Investigators from the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office, have located the person of interest in the Arson/Homicide investigation. The subject has been interviewed and detectives are collecting evidence relevant to the investigation.

The two deceased persons located inside the remains of the burned trailer are scheduled for autopsy this week and investigators hope to be able to positively identify the victims soon.

One of the presumed victim’s vehicles was missing from the scene upon arrival. That vehicle was located yesterday evening in Laclede County and investigators have collected evidence from that vehicle to further the investigation.

More information will follow when appropriate.

 

Original Press Release – 08-29-16

Arson/Homicide Investigation South of Camdenton

At approximately 5:00 a.m. this morning, Monday, August 29th, Mid-County Fire Protection District was dispatched to a structure fire in a mobile home community off of Floyds Road just south of the Camdenton city limits.  Fire crews arrived to find a mobile home fully engulfed and, after extinguishing the flames, found a deceased human body inside the debris.

Deputies and detectives from the Camden County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene to investigate and discovered a second deceased human body inside the debris. Neither of the deceased can be identified as of now due to the condition of the bodies upon recovery.  An autopsy is scheduled for this week.

Camden County detectives are working closely with Mid-County Fire Protection District and the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office on the investigation. Due to suspicious circumstances surrounding the fire, the Camden County Sheriff’s Office is treating the investigation as a homicide and is actively looking for one person of interest.

Deputies are still on the scene and the investigation is active. More information will be released when appropriate.