Husband held in kidnap of estranged wife

Turner

POPLAR BLUFF - A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man is in jail suspected of kidnapping and sexually assaulting his estranged wife, who authorities say he has victimized in the past.

Just before 9 a.m. Monday, Poplar Bluff Officer Robert Reed was sent to a home in the 600 block of Cleveland Street in reference to a possible missing person.

Reed, according to his report, was told by the children of a 33-year-old woman that a window was broken in their home and their mother was missing.

"Upon entering the home, I observed several droplets of blood throughout the house" and a broken window, said Reed, who secured the scene and requested detectives respond.

The children, Reed said, both reported having gone to bed at about 9 p.m. Sunday.

The eldest child, he said, reported being awakened at about 8 a.m. by her younger brother, who stated: "'Mom's window is broken out again, and she is gone.'"

Reed said the boy reported he awoke to find his mother's dresser kicked over and a window broken, with a blood trail.

The boy, Reed said, further told him he had followed the blood trail into the living room, where he saw his mother's phone shattered on the floor.

"Officer Reed relayed that information to Capts. Dave Sutton and Donnie Trout, who activated the (Butler County/Poplar Bluff) Major Case Squad," said Deputy Chief Jeff Rolland. "We reached out to the (FBI) in Cape (Girardeau)."

Within an hour of the report, "we had 20 investigators working on this case," Rolland said. "We started conducting interviews, following leads and working backgrounds, which provided additional leads."

During the ensuing investigation, Doyle W. Turner, 44, was developed as a person of interest.

"The victim and suspect are currently married; however, they are separated, and unfortunately there is a history of domestic violence in the relationship," Rolland said.

Information, Rolland said, also led officers to a residence in the 100 block of West Harper Street, where "investigators located the suspect, Doyle Turner, and rescued his captive."

The residence, Rolland said, belonged to a friend of Turner's and was a location where he "frequently stayed at."

It was at about 12:45 p.m., according to Sutton, that Butler County Deputy Brandon Waggoner and Investigator Wes Popp contacted the home's occupant and subsequently found Turner and his alleged victim in a building behind the residence.

Sutton said the building was a storage shed, which was "being used as a guest room."

Turner was taken into custody without incident, and the woman was taken by ambulance to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center for treatment of her injuries.

"She was able to provide details, which furthered the investigation when investigators spoke with her," Sutton said.

Turner, who Rolland described as being cooperative with the investigation, was interviewed and booked at the Butler County jail pending the filing of formal charges.

"We will be seeking burglary first, kidnapping, forcible sodomy, forcible rape, armed criminal action, being a felon in possession of a firearm, violation of an ex-parte order and possession of an illegal weapon (a short-barrel shotgun)."

Turner also is being held on warrants for two counts of first-degree burglary and no proof of insurance and failure to appear warrants for stealing and second-degree trespassing. Bond for those warrants totals $110,500.

Rolland described Turner as being a "known violent offender. There's an ongoing pattern of abuse of the suspect as perpetrator against the victim."

Turner, he said, allegedly held his estranged wife against her will by "just maintaining control of her by the threat of violence."

He also is accused of sexually assaulting her.

The investigation, according to Rolland, is ongoing as additional interviews are to be conducted.

"We want to commend the dedication and determination of the major case squad, and the members of the FBI, for their efforts in the course of this investigation, which lead to a swift resolution in the arrest of the suspect," Rolland said.

Several of the officers, he said, were called in from their vacations to work the case.