Stories from Thursday, July 19, 2018

SIKESTON — A Sikeston man facing armed robbery and burglary charges is in police custody. Joshua Thomas Kerr, 39, is charged with first degree armed robbery, first degree burglary, kidnapping and stealing, according to Sgt. Jon Broom, public information officer with Sikeston Department of Public Safety...

DUDLEY, Mo. — Jerry Dale Townsend, 73, died July 17, 2018, at Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County. Born Oct. 20, 1944, in Fisk, son of the late James and Myrtle Irene Williams Townsend, he had lived in the Dudley area most of his life. He had worked as a carpenter for Brown Construction for over 25 years and had attended the Advance First Church...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — A Dexter man faces felony statutory sodomy and rape charges in Stoddard County. Hobert C. Voss Jr., 32, of Dexter was arrested on warrants for furnishing pornographic material; failure to appear; first degree statutory sodomy, rape or attempted rape; and first degree statutory rape; and four counts of statutory sodomy, the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Department said on Wednesday...

Members of the Southeast Missouri Homeland Security Response Team participated in structural collapse training Wednesday in the acquired hotel structure (formerly Days Inn) on South Main Street in Sikeston. Crews trained and participated in scenarios on breaching, stabilizing and removing of concrete floors and walls all while keeping in mind of patient safety and ease of packaging incase of a medical emergency, according to officials...

BENTON, Mo. — A Sikeston man was indicted by a grand jury on felony rape, sodomy and assault charges in Scott County. A’Dante D. Blackmon, 17, is charged with three counts of first degree rape or attempted rape occurring on June 18, 20, and 22; two counts of first degree sodomy or attempted sodomy occurring on June 20 and 24; and one count of first degree assault or attempted assault occurring on June 24, according to online court records...

Halle Swallows trims bushes in her yard in the shade, trying to avoid the sun on another hot day in Southeast Missouri. A heat advisory is out for today in Scott County with temperatures expected to begin to decrease slightly this weekend.

MINER, Mo. — Police are looking for a vehicle and its driver who is a person of interest in an attempted child abduction Tuesday in Miner. According to Miner Police Chief Chris Griggs, the incident occurred at around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday on David Lane in Miner near Highway 62, when a male driver aggressively pursued the victim into getting into this vehicle, following her until she ran for help...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — Billy Eugene Ray Sr., 83, died July 18, 2018, at his home.  Born Nov. 12, 1934, in Dorena, son of the late Ed and Tress Sutton Ray, he had been employed in farming, trucking industry and also as a welder. He was a veteran of the United States Army and member of Victory Baptist Church in East Prairie. ...

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Velma Jean French, 87, died July 16, 2018, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Nov. 25, 1930, in New Madrid, daughter of the late Earl L.W. and Jennie Nadine Morgan Cokenour, she and her husband operated Bill’s Auto Parts for many years. She had been serving as deputy collector in the New Madrid County Collector’s Office until her retirement. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in New Madrid and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 595 in New Madrid...