ONE FOUND DEAD FOLLOWING FIRE IN BUTLER COUNTY
A fatal structure fire is under investigation in Butler County.
According to officials, the fire happened Friday morning at a structure located on T Highway near route KK.
Crews found one person dead inside the garage. Butler County Coroner Jim Akers tells KWOC News the person has been identified as 76 year old Darrell Robirtson, of Poplar Bluff.
The investigation is being conducted by the Butler County Fire Department, Butler County Sheriff’s Department, the Butler County Coroner’s Office, and the State Fire Marshal's Office.
No cause for the fire has been released.
TWO DEAD IN CONNECTION TO KENNETT HOUSE FIRE
Two people were found dead following a house fire early Friday morning in Kennett.
Kennett Fire Department Chief Lance Davis tells KWOC News that 911 received a report of a fire at a residence on Masterson Street shortly after 4 am Friday.
When Fire Department personnel arrived, they found heavy smoke and flames at the front of the single story brick residence and immediately began firefighting operations.
Firefighters later found two deceased victims inside the residence. Their names were not released.
Chief Davis says that the fire is not being considered suspicious at this time, however an investigation is being conducted by the Kennett Fire Department, the Kennett Police Department and the Missouri Division of Fire Safety.
ONE INJURED IN RIPLEY COUNTY SHOOTING
One subject is in a St. Louis hospital in connection to a shooting in Ripley County.
According to the Ripley County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 9 pm on January 11th they received a call from a resident that lives on Highway 21 South in the West Doniphan area.
An adult female had arrived at her residence and saw a male subject on her property near a mobile home next to her residence. She called her adult son and both began looking for the subject while armed.
When they confronted the subject, he reportedly reached under his jacket and pulled out an object that both the female and son stated looked like a handgun.
The subject began to point the object towards them and the son stated that being in fear for his life and his mother’s life, he shot towards the subject six times and the subject fell to the ground.
Deputies arrived at the scene and found bullet wounds to the subject’s arm and torso. They found the subject was still holding onto the object, identified as a battery-powered hand drill. The male subject has a court-ordered protection order that orders him not to be on the property and to have no contact with the female.
The subject was transported to a St. Louis hospital and his current condition was not released. Names are not being released at this time and no arrests have been made as the investigation continues with the Ripley County Sheriff’s Office and the Ripley County Prosecuting Attorney’s office.
KENNETT MAN CONVICTED ON DRUG CHARGES
Authorities in Dunklin County have announced the conviction of an area man for a drug charge.
Dunklin County Prosecutor Nicholas Jain tells KWOC News that 40 year old Dewayne Cross, of Kennett, was convicted Thursday by a Dunklin County Jury of distributing a controlled substance near a protected location on two separate occasions.
Jain says that the defendant sold methamphetamine to an undercover police officer at his house in late 2018 and early 2019. This crime was enhanced based on the fact the sale occurred within 2000 feet of Kennett High School.
Jain added that Cross faces a range of punishment of 10 to 30 years, or life, in the Missouri Department of Corrections on each of the two class A felony charges.
NUMEROUS GOVERNMENTAL OFFICES TO BE CLOSED TODAY FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY
Numerous governmental offices will be closed today in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Poplar Bluff city officials say that both the city hall and municipal court will be closed today, and that normal business will resume on Tuesday at 7:30 am.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol also announced that driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed for the holiday.
SHOULDER REPAIRS SCHEDULED FOR THIS WEEK IN DUNKLIN COUNTY
Route J in Dunklin County will be reduced to one lane this week as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform shoulder repairs.
The section of roadway to be involved in the repairs is located from County Road 109 to County Road 229 near Malden.
Weather permitting, work will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily through Friday.
