One lady escaped a ‘dungeon’ beneath a Missouri house, one other was killed. Here is a have a look at the case

LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man dealing with trial on kidnapping and sexual assault expenses after a lady stated she escaped weeks in his captivity was arraigned Friday on a brand new cost of homicide. Authorities say they linked him to the stays of a lady present in a barrel by the Missouri River.

The case towards Timothy M. Haslett gained renewed consideration this week when the homicide cost was filed. Prosecutors say Haslett killed 36-year-old Jaynie Crosdale. On the identical time, police accounts have laid out the extent of the brutality the surviving lady described.

Haslett, 41, appeared in courtroom Friday and entered a plea of not responsible.

Listed below are some particulars concerning the case:

What occurred?

The case towards Haslett emerged in October 2022 after a lady advised legislation enforcement she escaped from weeks of torture in his locked basement, in line with a possible trigger assertion. Police stated she bore marks on her again from whippings.

The survivor stated she met Haslett whereas strolling in a Kansas Metropolis space identified for prostitution. She stated Haslett supplied her cash, and she or he agreed to go along with him to his house. As soon as she was in his pickup truck, the girl advised legislation enforcement that he held a gun to her, raped her and compelled her to take narcotics.

He then took her to his basement, which police described as a “dungeon” crammed with torture gadgets, cameras and restraints. She stated he raped and tortured her on daily basis, and would minimize off her respiration.

She escaped whereas she believed he was taking his little one to high school.

Police stated they discovered pictures of Haslett and two totally different ladies taken contained in the dungeon room beneath his single-story house in Excelsior Springs, about 40 minutes northeast of Kansas Metropolis. A search of his telephone uncovered greater than 100,000 pictures and movies, primarily screenshots from porn websites, of girls being choked, masked and restrained.

A public defender for Haslett had not responded by Friday night to a number of emails in search of remark.

What concerning the homicide cost?

The girl who survived stated Haslett described killing two different ladies he beforehand kidnapped: one by suffocating her, and one other who died after violent sexual torture.

He advised her “if she didn’t hearken to him, he would suffocate her and put her in a barrel like the remainder of ‘them,’” in line with the possible trigger assertion.

Haslett’s telephone additionally had saved maps of the Missouri River, the place Crosdale’s physique was discovered.

Authorities stated they’d been on the lookout for Crosdale as a possible witness within the case after figuring out her in pictures discovered at Haslett’s house.

Kayakers in June 2023 discovered a blue 30-gallon barrel together with her stays inside whereas tenting off the river in Saline County, in line with police.

Haslett was indicted for first-degree homicide in Crosdale’s dying this week.

He was previously indicted on one depend of rape, 4 counts of sodomy, two counts of second-degree assault and one depend every of kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a kid. Haslett is being held within the Clay County Detention Heart on $5 million bond.

Here is what we nonetheless do not know

It is not clear if there’s a third sufferer. The costs filed this week are based mostly on the proof authorities at the moment have, and Clay County Prosecuting Legal professional Zachary Thompson stated the investigation is ongoing. He urged anybody with data to return ahead.

“As we speak’s indictment represents the following step in our pursuit of justice for the victims, the households and our neighborhood,” Thompson stated Tuesday.

Who was Crosdale?

In an obituary, her household stated Crosdale competed in observe and subject in grade college and “was identified for her superior velocity in sprints.”

“Her household by no means stopped on the lookout for her; and though the result wasn’t what we prayed for, we discovered peace in lastly having the ability to correctly put her to relaxation final yr,” the household stated in a press release. “We discover extra peace in realizing that we’re one step nearer to getting her the justice she deserves.”

Household wrote in her obituary that she “accepted Christ at an early age.”

However life was arduous for her. She lived on the streets, and struggled with psychological sickness and drug habit, stated Kris Wade, government director of The Justice Mission KC, who met her by means of outreach efforts.

She stated when she heard Crosdale was lacking, she immediately knew she was lifeless.

“I’m actually grateful that there might be justice for her and her household,” she stated. “That’s the primary factor I’m grateful for proper now. She was actually clever, actually brilliant particular person. She had a variety of points.”

Thompson says the proof exhibits Crosdale was beforehand arrested for intercourse work, which was how she and Haslett met.

“In Clay County, no matter who you might be, how a lot cash you may have, what the colour of your pores and skin is, everyone seems to be entitled to equal safety beneath the legislation,” Thompson stated Tuesday.