A suspect in the brutal murder of an Independence, Mo., man hid out at an apartment in New Hampton last week, according to the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office.
Area law officers were alerted that a young man and woman suspected of involvement in the death of Charles Younger, 55, of Independence were in Harrison County.
Harrison County sheriff’s officers, Bethany policemen, Highway Patrol officers and ATF and FBI agents spent several hours Wednesday evening searching for the suspects in the New Hampton area.
The suspects used an EBT card at the Walmart Store and were traced to an apartment house at New Hampton where the male was acquainted with a resident. Harrison County officers obtained a search warrant for the apartment where Larry Moody, 57, and Heather Jeffers, 39, were taken into custody for drug possession.
Sheriff Josh Eckerson said the suspect, accompanied by his girlfriend, had fled from the apartment after spending about three days in the New Hampton area.
Darryl Schaeffel, 24, was arrested by authorities in Warsaw, Mo.
Schaeffel was charged Friday in Independence with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Schaeffel confessed to the murder of Younger during an interview with Jackson County authorities, according to the Independence Examiner.
Mr. Younger’s body was found at his residence on East Truman Rd. at about 11:05 a.m. on Jan. 1. He reportedly died of gunshot and stab wounds. Three .38-caliber shell casings were found near the body.
The Independence newspaper reported that Schaeffel had been staying at Mr. Younger’s residence for a few days prior to his death. Schaeffel and his girlfriend reportedly had planned to rob Mr. Younger’s house.
The girlfriend told law officers that she was awakened by Schaeffel at about 4 a.m. on New Year’s morning and told that they needed to leave. She said she didn’t know about Mr. Younger’s death until about two days later.
The couple apparently fled to New Hampton and stayed for about three days at Moody’s apartment. Sheriff Eckerson said Moody was an acquaintance of Schaeffel but denied knowing anything about the murder.
Authorities reportedly found a quantity of drugs in the apartment and arrested Moody and Heather Jeffers on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance.