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Missouri man facing scheduled execution for beating death of 6-year-old girl in 2002

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Missouri man facing scheduled execution for beating death of 6-year-old girl in 2002


JEFFESON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man who abducted a 6-year-old girl and beat her to death at an abandoned glass factory was scheduled to be executed Tuesday in Missouri, as his attorneys pressed claims that he is mentally incompetent.

Johnny Johnson, 45, was convicted in the July, 26, 2002, killing of Casey Williamson, whose disappearance set off a frantic search in her hometown of Valley Park, a small suburb of St. Louis.

Casey’s mother had been best friends in childhood with Johnson’s older sister and had even helped babysit him. After Johnson attended a barbecue the night before the killing, Casey’s family let him sleep on a couch in the home where they also were sleeping.

In the morning, Johnson lured the girl to the abandoned factory, even carrying her on his shoulders on the walk to the dilapidated site. When he tried to sexually assault her, Casey screamed and tried to break free. According to court documents, he killed her with a brick and a large rock, then washed off in the nearby Meramec River. Johnson confessed that same day to the crimes, according to authorities.

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After a search involving first responders and volunteers, Casey’s body was found in a pit less than a mile (kilometer) from her home, buried beneath rocks and debris.

At Johnson’s trial, defense lawyers presented testimony showing that their client — an ex-convict who had been released from a state psychiatric facility six months earlier — had stopped taking his schizophrenia medication and was acting strangely in the days before the slaying.

In recent appeals, Johnson’s attorneys have said he has delusions about the devil using his death to bring about the end of the world. They also noted he had been placed on suicide watch in prison a couple years ago after claiming to be a vampire.

In June, the Missouri Supreme Court denied an appeal seeking to block the execution on arguments that Johnson’s schizophrenia prevented him from understanding the link between his crime and the punishment. The Missouri Attorney General’s Office successfully challenged the credibility of the psychiatric evaluation and said medical records indicate that Johnson is able to manage his mental illness through medication.

A three-judge federal appeals court panel last week temporary halted the planned execution, but the full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated it. Johnson’s attorneys then filed multiple appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court centered around his competency to be executed.

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Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday denied a clemency request to reduce Johnson’s sentence to life in prison.

“Johnny Johnson’s crime is one of the most horrific murders that has come across my desk,” Parson, a former sheriff, said in a statement.

The clemency petition by Johnson’s attorneys said Casey’s father, Ernie Williamson, opposed the death penalty.

But Casey’s great aunt, Della Steele, wrote an emotional plea to Parson urging him to proceed with the execution to “send the message that it is not okay to terrorize and murder a child.” Steele said in the message that the grief from Casey’s death led to destructive effects among other family members.

“He did something horrible. He took a life away from a completely innocent child, and there have to be consequences for that,” Steele told The Associated Press.

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Steele has led a variety of community efforts to honor Casey. Through years of fundraising, Casey’s family provided $500 scholarships or savings bonds to all 65 students of the senior class of Valley Park High School in 2014, the year Casey would have graduated.

The family also has organized community safety fairs in Casey’s memory, including a July 22 event that drew a couple hundred people. They gave away dozens of child identification kits along with safety tips involving fire, water and bicycles, among other items.

“A lot of kids from Casey’s class were there with their children. It was nice to see, but it definitely makes you think,” Steele said. “They’re pushing their strollers with their couple of kids and you think, `That’s where she should be.’”

The scheduled execution would be the 16th in the U.S. this year. In addition to three previous executions in Missouri, five have been conducted in Texas, four in Florida, two in Oklahoma and one in Alabama. There were 18 executions in six U.S. states last year.

___

Associated Press writer Jim Salter contributed to this report from O’Fallon, Missouri.

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Iowa vs. Missouri prediction, odds, best bets for Music City Bowl

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Iowa vs. Missouri prediction, odds, best bets for Music City Bowl


Iowa will face off against No. 19 Missouri in the Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium on Monday at 2:30 p.m. EST.

With quarterback Brady Cook playing in his final game for the Mizzou Tigers, our data model has confidence in the program reaching 10 wins for the second consecutive year. Our best bet for Monday is Missouri -3 (-105).

In anticipation of this Midwest Matchup, the data analysts at Dimers have simulated the contest 10,000 times, then compared the results to current college football betting odds to inform the data-driven betting preview below.

Bet365 is legal in Iowa, making this the perfect opportunity for Hawyeyes fans to claim huge betting bonuses with our brand new exclusive bet365 bonus code “SYRACUSE”, while all sports fans in New York State can take full advantage of our NBA League Pass FanDuel promo code. Additionally, bettors are encouraged to check out this exclusive promo offer from DraftKings and the latest deal from BetMGM.

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Iowa vs. Missouri betting preview

Utilize the interactive widget below to view the current spread, total, and moneyline odds and probabilities for the Iowa-Missouri game at Nissan Stadium.

This prediction and best bet for Monday’s college football matchup between Iowa and Missouri is from Dimers.com, a leader in sports betting predictions.

Check out all the important details on today’s game, as well as the best odds sourced from the top sportsbooks in the country.

Game details

Key information on the Iowa vs. Missouri matchup, including where the game is and what time it kicks off.

  • Teams: Iowa vs. Missouri
  • Date: Monday, December 30, 2024
  • Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. EST
  • Location: Nissan Stadium
  • NCAAF rankings: Updated AP Top 25
  • College football news: Check the latest updates from the official NCAA football news site

Odds

The latest and best odds for the college football game between the Iowa and Missouri.

  • Spread: Iowa +3 (-115), Missouri -3 (-105)
  • Moneyline: Iowa +125, Missouri -142
  • Total: Over/Under 40.5 (-105/-112)

The odds and lines featured in this article are the best available from selected sports betting sites at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Expert prediction: Iowa vs. Missouri

Using state-of-the-art data analysis and machine learning, the experts at Dimers have executed 10,000 simulations of Monday’s Iowa vs. Missouri game.

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According to Dimers’ renowned predictive analytics model, Missouri is more likely to defeat Iowa at Nissan Stadium. This prediction is based on the model giving Missouri a 65% chance of winning the game.

Furthermore, Dimers predicts that Missouri (-3) has a 58% chance of covering the spread, while the 40.5-point over/under has a 58% chance of going over.

These predictions and probabilities are correct at the time of publication but are subject to potential changes.

Iowa vs. Missouri best bet

Our top pick for the Iowa vs. Missouri game on Monday is to bet on Missouri -3 (-105).

This expert betting advice is based on comprehensive simulations and valuable betting intelligence, designed to assist you in making more informed decisions.

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Score prediction for Iowa vs. Missouri

Dimers’ predicted final score for the Iowa vs. Missouri game on Monday has Missouri winning 24-19.

This expert prediction is based on each team’s average score following 10,000 game simulations, offering a glimpse into the potential outcome.

College football Week 18: Iowa vs. Missouri

Get ready for Monday’s college football game between Iowa and Missouri at Nissan Stadium, which is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. EST. We emphasize that all of the college football predictions and college football best bets in this article are derived from 10,000 data-driven simulations of the Iowa vs. Missouri game, and they are correct at the time of publication. They are intended to help you make better decisions when placing bets at online sportsbooks.

Please note that when engaging in online betting, it is important to exercise responsible gambling practices and seek trustworthy sources for the latest and most accurate information.



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Missouri Ethics Commission fines ‘Truth In Politics’ $250K for defying campaign laws

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Missouri Ethics Commission fines ‘Truth In Politics’ 0K for defying campaign laws


An investigation by the Missouri Ethics Commission found “reasonable grounds” that Truth In Politics — a group which primarily sought to influence the outcome of Springfield school board races — repeatedly violated campaign finance laws.

A consent order filed Dec. 18 and uploaded Friday, making it public, outlined the ways that Truth In Politics broke the rules, according to the MEC.

The five leaders behind the group were assessed a hefty financial penalty totaling nearly a quarter million dollars.

For a two-year period, while taking in more than $127,000, Truth In Politics failed to register as a committee, report contributions and spending, and file the required campaign finance reports.

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A fee of $249,446 was jointly imposed by MEC against five leaders of Truth In Politics: Curtis Jared, president; George Husted, secretary and treasurer; and directors Lee Fraley, Royce Reding, and Sam Clifton.

If they pay $20,000 of the fee within 45 days, the remainder will be waived, provided none of the group members violate campaign finance laws for the next two years. If they do, the remaining $229,446 will be due.

Jared, Husted, Fraley, Reding and Clifton — as well as their attorney Lucinda Luetkemeyer — signed the consent order in December, waiving their right to a hearing.

It was also signed by MEC executive director Stacey Heislen.

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Formed as a nonprofit corporation in July 2020, Truth In Politics started seeking contributions in March 2021 “with the express purpose of using such resources to influence the outcome of the elections” in April 2021 and 2022, according to the consent order.

In a two-year period ending in March 2023, the group raised at least $127,000 without reporting the contributions to the MEC. The gifts included $18,000 each from Humana and Centene Management, and $17,000 from Rapid Roberts.

They spent $119,826 during the same period “in support of candidates for office.”

Here are examples of ways in which Truth In Politics sought to influence the outcome of April elections in 2021 and 2022, primarily for school board but also Springfield City Council:

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  • A flyer or door hanger that read “Paid for by Truth in Politics, Royce Reding, treasurer” alleged Springfield teachers were “forced to participate in Critical Race Theory, which has roots in Marxism” and urged support for school board candidates Kelly Byrne and Maryam Mohammadkhani. The flyer also touted support for City Council candidate Brent Brown;
  • Paid for billboard advertising for Brent Brown;
  • A political attack ad ran on TV falsely alleging incumbent Charles Taylor “hijacks meetings so he can push critical race theories over and over again.” The ad also urged support for candidates Kelly Byrne and Steve Makoski. At the time, Byrne publicly asked that the ad stop running.
  • Following calls for the TV ad to be removed, Reding issued a statement repeating allegations against Taylor and saying “We stand by our ad and will not back down to those afraid of the community learning the truth.”

In the 2021 board race, Mohammadkhani was elected along with Danielle Kincaid and Scott Crise. Brown, who donated to the Truth In Politics group, was not elected to the City Council.

In 2022, Taylor was defeated and Byrne and Makoski were elected to the school board.

There is no public, direct connection between the Truth In Politics group and candidates Mohammadkhani, Byrne and Makoski and none donated to the group. However, Rapid Roberts — where Makoski is employed — was a major donor. Byrne’s campaign treasurer, Tyler Creach, also donated $2,300 to the group.

In the 2024 school board race, an in-kind donation by a company owned by Curtis Jared also received scrutiny by the Missouri Ethics Commission.

The company placed billboards in support of board candidates Mohammadkhani, Landon McCarter and Chad Rollins in Springfield for more than four months before the April election.

McCarter and Rollins reported an $7,500 in-kind donation from Jared Outdoor LLC but the LLC was not classified as a corporation under federal tax code and it was not registered with the MEC, a required step.

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As a result, McCarter and Rollins were each assessed a fee of $7,500 under separate consent orders in December but were allowed to pay only $750 as long as they don’t violate campaign finance laws for two years.

In all, MEC found that Truth In Politics failed to file 12 campaign finance reports, which are due quarterly and on specific dates before and after elections.

Truth In Politics also failed to quickly report large contributions and spending as required by law right before and after elections including four donations of $5,000 or more.

As part of the report, Truth In Politics publicly detailed the funds it accepted and spent. The details were included in the consent order.

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Contributions in 2021, 2022

This includes total contributions of $500 or more. In some cases, an individual made a dozen or more contributions over the two-year period.

  • $18,000 − Centene Management; Humana;
  • $17,000 − Rapid Roberts;
  • $7,750 − Curtis Jared;
  • $5,500 − Ronald Neville;
  • $5,000 − Jeffrey Caison; Bryan Magers; Brent Davis;
  • $3,000 − Loren Cook II;
  • $2,500 − Nicholas Austin; Brent Brown;
  • $2,400 − Carson Buckman;
  • $2,300 − Royce Reding; Joe Passanise; Tyler Creach; Kandice Prewitt;
  • $2,200 − John Ruder;
  • $2,100 − Caleb Arthur; Sam Clifton;
  • $2,000 − Candice Ehase; Fraley Masonry; Sam Coryell;
  • $1,500 − Penn Enterprises; 311 S. Hampton LLC;
  • $1,200 − Nathan Adams; David Havens;
  • $1,000 − Judy Beisner; Mavis Busiek; Mark and Margaret Bult; Unknown donor;
  • $900 − Scott Speight;
  • $500 − Gordon Kinne; Ginco Facilities Management;

Spending in 2021, 2022

Truth In Politics paid more than a dozen companies and individuals over the two-year period. Here are the amounts of $5,000 or more.

  • $35,105 − Ax Media;
  • $34,926 − Vanguard Field Strategies:
  • $16,498 − Axiom Strategies;
  • $6,974 − Remington Research Group;
  • $5,000 − WPAI.



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Ranking the top 25 Missouri girls high school wrestlers (12/27/2024)

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Ranking the top 25 Missouri girls high school wrestlers (12/27/2024)


With the Holiday break upon us, it’s time to rank out our midseason rankings of the top 25 high school girls wrestlers in the state of Missouri.

While some teams are still only getting their seasons going – or are choosing to pace themselves for the second half stretch – others have been participating in highly-competitive tournaments both in-state and across the country.

Newcomers and decorated champions alike highlight this talented crop of wrestlers. With several competitors moving weight classes this season, production volume during the 2024 Missouri high school wrestling season played a factor in these rankings.

Only wrestlers listed on active Missouri high school rosters were eligible for these rankings.

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Other Missouri high school sports stories:

2024-25 National High School Wrestling Rankings (12/27/2024)

Top 25 Missouri high school football rankings (12/24/2024)

Top 25 Missouri Girls High School Basketball Rankings (12/25/2024)

Top quarterbacks in Missouri high school football: Vote for best in 2024

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Ranked one of the top 140-pound girls high school wrestlers in the nation by flowrestling entering the season, Juitt is off to a 19-0 start after winning the daunting Kansas City Stampede last week.

A 2023 state champion, Lilly Breeden is proving why she’s one of the best pound-for-pound high school girls wrestlers in Missouri. Off to an 18-0 start in 2024, Breeden cruised to the 100-pound title at the Kansas City Stampede in convincing fashion last week.

Ward would probably sit a bit higher on this list if she had a few more matches this season. Through no fault of her own, she’s only competed in one tournament so far – the Wentzville Liberty Girls Invite – and took first at 130. She currently sits at 5-0 and is easily one of the state’s premier talents.

The defending Class 1 state champion at 100 pounds, Hairston swept the Festus Girls Tuesday Night Scramble, Fort Zumwalt North Tournament, Fort Zumwalt East Tournament and Union Girls Tournament to start 18-0.

Ranked No. 38 nationally in the class of 2005 and No. 10 at 110 pounds by flowrestling, Joiner cruised to the 115-pound championship of the KC Stampede to improve to 9-0.

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Wrestling at 145, Haynes has already won the Lady Longhorn Roundup, Valkyrie Clash Tournament, Fort Zumwalt East Tournament and swept the Schuman Scramble for an 18-0 start.

Winning the 130-pound title at the KC Stampede shouldn’t have been as easy as Benson made it seem. She’s now 23-0 to start 2024.

Wrestling at 100 pounds, she’s already won the Valkyrie Clash Tournament, Holiday (Fl.) Knockout, Wentzville Liberty Girls Invite, Bolivar Girls Wrestling Tournament and went 3-0 at the Schuman Scramble. She’s currently 17-0.

While her schedule this high school season hasn’t been as busy as some others, Shelton – reigning Class 1 champion at 155 who has bumped up to 170 this season – managed to sweep the Indian Girls’ Classic with five wins. Her only loss came in a major decision to Highland (Ill.) standout August Rottman in the finals of the Wentzville Liberty Girls Invite.

The reigning Class 1 champion at 170, Thelin is off to a 17-0 start after winning the KC Stampede last week. She bested another person on this list – Willard sophomore Emily Brixey – 8-1 in the finals of the Stampede.

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At 190, Vargas is 14-0 with wins at the Wild West Kickoff Classic and Battle at the Katy Trail while also sweeping the Excelsior Springs Girls Tournament.  

Nope. You’re not seeing double. Sandy Breeden joins Lilly Breeden on this list as the sisters continue to be a dominant force at Liberty. The reigning Class 2 champion at 105, Sandy Breeden took the 105 crown at the KC Stampede with a 4-2 decision over Oklahoma City’s Krystan Perez. The win improved Breeden to 17-1.

Opponents haven’t stopped her and neither did moving up weight classes. Gibbs, 2023-24 Class 1 Champion at 145, remains undefeated at 155 this season – winning every match by fall. She’s competed at the 2024 Tiger Mat Classic, Lady Longhorn Classic and Blair Oaks Tournament.

Another stellar 155-pounder, McNack is 21-0 after winning the KC Stampede, Nixa Girls Invite, NKC – Tussle for the Tiara and Versailles Girls Tournament.

Stinson has been dominant so far this season. She won every match by fall to win the 235-pound title at the KC Stampede. She also had a big win over Jayden Moehle (Grain Valley) to win the Lady Pirate Invitational. Stinson’s only loss was to Iowa standout and eventual champion Reese Baxter (Raccoon River-Northwest) in the semifinals of the Dan Gable Donnybrook in Iowa City, Iowa. She rebounded with a pair of pins – both in under 1 minute – to take third in that tournament.

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Fuglsang has been singing a winning tune. Wrestling at two weight classes (110 and 115), Fuglsang remains unbeaten at 20-0. She won the Versailles Girls Tournament at 115 before going to 110 to win the Bolivar Girls Wrestling Tournament, 2024 Union Girls Tournament and the Nixa Girls Invite.

A defending Class 2 state champion at 170, Calvert hasn’t been beaten this season and owns a head-to-head victory over Willard standout sophomore Emily Brixey.

Brixey has three losses and three second place finishes this season. Two of her losses, however, came at the hands of No. 10 Alana Thelin – in the KC Stampede and Lady Pirate Wrestling Invitational. She also took second at the Nixa Girls Invite, losing by fall to Winnetonka’s Autumn Calvert.

Evans went 5-0 at the Raytown Holiday Tournament and 2-0 at Battle of The Braids and currently carries an 18-2 mark. Her losses so far have been a 10-8 decision to Juliana Tice (North Kansas City) in the finals of the NKC – Tussle for the Tiara 2024 and by fall to Sandy Breeden in the semifinals of the Lady Pirate Wrestling Invitational.

The Class 2 runner-up behind Jessa Joiner at 115 pounds as a freshman last season, McDowell is off to a strong start after winning the 120-pound class at the KC Stampede. That performance came on the heels of a third-place finish at the Valkyrie Clash Tournament.

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Won the Valkyrie Clash and Chip Allison Tournaments at 190 pounds and took second at the KC Stampede – her only loss an 8-2 decision to Emma Heaton of Canyon Randall, Texas.

Moehle has been tested early in the 235 class. At 15-4, she has second place finishes at the Steve Leslie Girls Invitational and the Lady Pirate Invitational – losing to Logan Sumner (Blair Oaks) and Alexis Stinson (Liberty) in the finals, respectively. After four wins at the KC Stampede, she suffered consecutive losses to Chloe Vawter (Little Axe, Okla.) and Sophiea Quinn (Lebanon).

A former Class 2 champion, Gonier defeated Crystal Loera (Garden City, Kan.) to reach the 125 finals of the KC Stampede before losing to Violet De La Cruz of Conroe Woodlands College Park (Texas). She also won the Park Hill Girls Invitational and swept her matches at Battle of the Braids and Excelsior Springs Girls Tournament

Freeman hasn’t seen much time on the mat in the early season – she’s won her only recorded match by fall – but her talent is undeniable. Wrestling at 235, she’s one of the best in the state any time she steps into the circle.

The talented senior has seen the podium twice so far this season – winning the Lady Longhorn Classic at 170 pounds and placing second at the Chip Allison Tournament.

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Also considered: Kamryn Bourbon, Nixa; Ellie Higginbotham, Willard; Paige Strauch, NKC; Sophiea Quinn, Lebanon; Kendall Angelo, Oak Park; Keely Fallert, Oak Grove; Calyese Dupree, Nixa; Jacinda Espinosa, Rock Bridge; Ella Healthman, Nevada; Averi Dawn, Nevada.



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