Stories from Friday, October 5, 2018

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Slowly and methodically, law enforcement have followed the clues to solve the horrific 1998 murder of a mother and her 12-year-old daughter at their rural home near Portageville. In a press conference Friday morning, New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens and investigators from the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control announced through a DNA match they could now identify the man responsible for the murder of Sherri and Megan Scherer on March 28, 1998. The assailant was identified as Robert Eugene Brashers, 40. Brashers killed himself during a standoff with Kennett police on Jan. 13, 1999.

By Jill Bock jillb@standard-democrat.com NEW MADRID, Mo. — Through the tenacity of law enforcement officers and breakthroughs in DNA technology, New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens announced Friday that one of the “most heinous crimes ever in the history of New Madrid County” is now solved...

My milk could be ruining my health, as much as I love my milk, at my age and poor eye sight. When I open a jug of milk the tiny strips of plastic holding the two pieces of the cap together fall around the top of the jug and some fall inside the jug into the milk, which can’t be prevented. Drinking milk with tiny pieces of plastic in it cannot be good for my health, or anyone’s health. No more milk with my wish to live as long as I can. That is the only answer.

KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Charles “Chuck” Faries, 93, died Sept. 30, 2018, at Asbury Baysmont. Born in Tallapoosa, Mo, son of the late John Harvey and Gracie Underwood Faries, he was raised in Portageville, Mo. He was a member of Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church...

NEW MADRID, Mo.— Krista Danielle Fields, 27, died Oct. 3, 2018, at her home in New Madrid. Born Sept. 24, 1991, in Sikeston, she was the daughter of Kenneth Fields and Lee Ann Townsend of New Madrid. In addition to her parents, survivors include: two sons, Kendric McCain and Kingston McCain of the home; and two sisters, Gina Wilkerson of Lilbourn and Kimberly Fields of New Madrid...

VANDUSER, Mo. — Tanya Kay Monroe, 62, died Oct. 4, 2018, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born Nov. 11, 1955, in Sikeston, to B.T. and Phyllis Pigman Johnson. She and Tim "Termite" Monroe were married July 26, 1980, at Evangelical United Church of Christ in Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death on Feb. 26, 2007...

Construction is under way near the intersection of Highway 80 and Interstate 55 to rebuild the Flying J Travel Center, which was destroyed by fire on June 3. According to Mike Pyles with the city of Matthews, the $2.4 million construction project will include a restaurant, store, truckers lounge and showers. Completion is expected by mid December...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two Southeast Missouri Schools have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos on Monday recognized 349 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018. Richland Elementary School in Essex with the Richland R-I School District and Lake Road Elementary in Poplar Bluff with the Poplar Bluff R-1 School District were among those schools...

SIKESTON — For the third-straight year, student athletes and others will converge on Sikeston Public Schools Stadium Wednesday night to talk about their faith. Fields of Faith, which started nationally in 2004, is a national movement sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes that is a non-denominational, student-led prayer event that brings people together to read scripture and share their testimonies about what led them to Christ...

SIKESTON — Devin Michael Mills, 33, died Oct. 4, 2018, at his home in Sikeston. Born July 10, 1985, in Sikeston, son of Mike and Nina King Mills of Morley, he was employed at Ferrell Mobile Homes in Benton. He had served in the United States Army for three years. He opened the first skate park in Sikeston, Dirty Bearings, in 2002. He was a self-taught mechanic.