Missouri
Remains of missing Missouri Valley man found, arrest made
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The remains of a Missouri Valley man, missing for nearly three years, were found by law enforcement in April.
Jesse George, 35, was reported missing on June 29, 2023. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, in conjunction with the Missouri Valley Police Department and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office continued to investigate his disappearance, according to a news release from the Iowa DCI.
On April 15, 2026, law enforcement excavated a location four miles northwest of Missouri Valley where human remains were found, the release said. The remains were positively identified as George’s and the Iowa State Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide.
Joseph Langford, 52, also of Missouri Valley, was arrested by the Iowa DCI in George’s death on Monday, May 18. He was charged with first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse.
An investigation into George’s death is ongoing.
Langford admitted to killing, burying body to others
George was last seen with Langford near a camper around Fourth Street in Missouri Valley on the morning of June 29, 2023. Langford later admitted the two had an argument in the camper, according to court filings.
Later that morning, around 4:30 a.m., Langford had a friend help move a car that was parked in front of the camper. Langford was armed with a rifle and wouldn’t let his friend in the camper, the court filing said. He later told the same friend that “somebody’s gone, they’re not coming back, and I’m going to prison.”
Langford and his sister took the camper to an Interstate 29 rest area, where they were both employed, and cleaned the camper, according to the court filings.
A report to local law enforcement was made about the camper. Upon arrival, law enforcement saw bullet holes in the side of the camper, and blood was observed in the camper. The camper was processed by law enforcement at that time. Forensic testing determined the blood to be George’s.
About a year later, Langford admitted to killing George to another friend, the court filings said. He also told a coworker he had shot and killed George in the camper. He also admitted to burying George’s body behind the rest area.
An autopsy determined George had been shot multiple times.
Langford is in the custody of the Harrison County Jail on a $1 million cash bond, with a court appearance scheduled for May 27.
Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@registermedia.com.
MALDEN, Mo. (KFVS) – An investigation is underway after a shooting on Sunday morning in Malden, Missouri.
According to the Malden Department of Public Safety, officers were called to Kimball Street on July 19 for a report of two possible gunshot victims.
When police arrived, they found two people dead. Police later confirmed both people are dead.
Police say there is no known threat to the public and no other details will be released at this time.
Malden DPS, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol are investigating.
Copyright 2026 KFVS. All rights reserved.
In the spring of 2021, Cecilia Williams lost her son, daughter-in-law and grandson to a drunken driver.
Williams, who lives in Bonne Terre, is now raising the two orphaned grandchildren who survived, Bentley and Mason.
A year later, Melanie Wankum was hit head-on by a drunken driver, killing her instantly and injuring a passenger on their way back from a wedding.
In both tragedies, families of the victims became advocates on their behalf, championing tougher laws in Missouri against drunken driving.
Soon after the crash that killed her son and his family, Williams found herself in Jefferson City lobbying for a bill that would hold drunken drivers responsible for children left without a parent after an accident.
It would require convicted drunken drivers to pay child support to the surviving children until they are at least 18, or 21 if they are still in school.
Named after Williams’ grandsons, the legislation was introduced in 2021 and signed by the governor five years later on July 9. Tennessee was the first state and Missouri was the eighth to pass a version of “Bentley Law.”
The child-support provision was included this year in Missouri House Bill 1740, which also stiffened other drunken driving laws. The additional provisions have become known as “Melanie’s Law,” to recognize the woman killed in 2022 by a drunken driver in Jefferson City.
Melanie’s Law changed felony classifications for DWI cases that cause injury or death to require longer prison sentences. It also expanded the mandatory use of ignition interlock devices for those involved in alcohol-related incidents. Missouri is one of 35 states with similar laws.
“The pain a family feels when a loved one is killed by a drunk driver is one that never goes away,” said state Rep. Dave Griffith, who sponsored the legislation.
The bill went through a number of revisions before it was passed, Griffith said.
“At each one of those steps, I think we’re very thoughtful about how we can make the bill better and how it’s going to affect the families that suffer and deal with this,” Griffith said.
“Driving while intoxicated is a choice,” he said. “It’s my hope that when people know the ramifications of making those bad decisions they will think twice before getting behind the wheel.”
Mothers Against Drunk Driving, a national organization with offices in Missouri, has been consistently involved in pushing for enactment of the stricter legislation. Working closely with Cecilia Williams, the organization supported the Missouri bill until it passed.
“Cecilia has been dedicated to turning the tragic crash into a way to honor her loved ones, as well as raise awareness of the dangers of driving impaired,” said Tabitha Perkins, state executive director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
“For Missouri, we hope this bill will serve as a deterrent to individuals who drink and drive,” Perkins said. “Knowing that even after they are released from prison, they will still have a financial obligation to complete will make drivers think twice before they get behind the wheel of a deadly weapon in an impaired state.”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fire crews battled a house fire Saturday morning in Kansas City, Missouri, that sent an occupant and a firefighter to the hospital.
The Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department responded to a house fire around 10:10 a.m. Saturday in the 100 block of West 85th Street.
KCFD said one occupant was trapped inside the residence. Upon arrival, crews began battling the fire and entered the house to rescue the occupant.
Firefighters located an elderly woman and got her out of the house. She was taken by ambulance to a local hospital in serious condition.
A KCFD firefighter was taken to the hospital for a minor injury.
A dog inside the residence was able to evacuate safely.
The fire department reported the fire was brought under control around 10:25 a.m. City Planning and Dangerous Buildings were requested at the scene.
KCFD is investigating the cause of the fire.
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