Springfield woman killed in car-pedestrian accident on E. Battlefield Road

(From the Springfield Police Department)

On Jan. 16, 2025, at 12:35 p.m., officers with the Springfield Police Department were responded to 3260 E. Battlefield Rd., for a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian.

Curtis Jones, 80, from Springfield, was driving a silver 2017 Ford F150 in the parking lot when Jones hit a pedestrian, Juliann MacDonald, 77, from Springfield. MacDonald was transported to the hospital.

On Jan. 27, MacDonald died from her injuries. MacDonald’s family was notified.

The circumstances of the crash are part of an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is requested to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or the tips hotline at 417-869-TIPS.

This was Springfield’s second traffic fatality in 2025.

Pedestrian is Springfield's first traffic fatality for 2025

(From the Springfield Police Department)

On Jan. 24, 2025, at 11:57 a.m., officers with the Springfield Police Department responded to the area near Kearney Street and Jefferson Avenue for a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian.

Duron Kinsey-Starks, 28, from Ozark, was driving westbound on Kearney Avenue in a 1995 Geo Prizm when Everett Fleming, 44, of Winfield, Kan., stepped into the road and was hit. Fleming was attempting to cross Kearney from north to south. Fleming did not use a marked crosswalk.

Fleming died at the scene. Fleming’s next of kin has been notified.

The circumstances of the crash are part of an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is requested to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or the tips hotline at 417-869-TIPS.

This was Springfield’s first traffic fatality in 2025.

Aurora woman arrested for murdering her husband, says she also killed her child's biological father

(From the Aurora-Marionville Police Department)

The Aurora-Marionville Police Department is actively investigating a homicide that occurred in the early morning hours of January 23, 2025.

At approximately 1:45 a.m., Taylor Santiago arrived at the Aurora Police and Fire Facility and called from the parking lot, reporting that she had just murdered her estranged husband, Troy Huffman, at her residence. 

Officers immediately took Ms. Santiago into custody and responded to her apartment, where they located a deceased male identified as Troy Huffman.

During her statement, Ms. Santiago also disclosed that she had driven to Arkansas earlier and shot two additional victims, one of whom was the biological father of one of her children. 

The Aurora-Marionville Police Department is actively working with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office in Arkansas to assist with their investigation into the homicide reported in that jurisdiction.

The firearm believed to have been used in these incidents has been seized by the Aurora-Marionville Police Department. At this time, there is no ongoing threat to the Aurora or Marionville community.
Ms. Santiago is currently being held at the Lawrence County Jail pending the filing of charges Murder in the 1st Degree and additional crimes. It is important to note that she is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Aurora-Marionville Police Department extends its gratitude to the Carroll County Arkansas Sheriff’s Office and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office for their cooperation and assistance in this multi-jurisdictional investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Springfield felon sentenced to 15 years for illegal firearm

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.

Timothy S. Brandkamp, 64, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Brandkamp was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.

On March 13, 2024, Brandkamp pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Brandkamp admitted he was in possession of a Taurus 9mm pistol and approximately 12 rounds of ammunition from Oct. 14 to 20, 2022.

Brandkamp was arrested on Oct. 14, 2022, for violating the conditions of his supervised release in an unrelated federal case. While he was incarcerated, he contacted a relative and asked her to remove items from his residence that a “felon was not supposed to have.” That relative contacted the authorities. U.S. Probation and Parole officers located the loaded firearm under a bedspread in the bedroom of Brandkamp’s residence.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brandkamp has a federal felony conviction for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, for which he was on supervised release at the time of the offense after serving 13 years in federal prison. Brandkamp also has two prior felony convictions for selling methamphetamine, as well as prior felony convictions for possessing methamphetamine, selling an imitation controlled substance, and assault.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony M. Brown. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office.

Springfield man sentenced to 25 Years for drug trafficking, fatal shooting

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today in two separate criminal cases for drug trafficking and fatally shooting another person.

Austin A. Ball, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 25 years in federal prison without parole.

On April 30, 2024, Ball pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to distribute marijuana and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense. In a separate case, Ball also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Ball admitted that he went to a local gas station on April 19, 2020, to distribute marijuana. After he arrived at the gas station, Ball saw a person identified in court documents as “C.T.” approach his vehicle and feared that C.T. was going to rob him. Ball fired his .380-caliber firearm at C.T. through his driver’s side window. A bullet struck C.T. The injuries from that bullet caused C.T.’s death later that day. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ball’s residence and found the firearm that was used by Ball to cause the death of C.T.

In the second federal criminal case, Ball admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from April 19, 2017, to Oct. 2, 2019. Ball admitted that he was in possession of 62 grams of methamphetamine, some clonazepam, alprazolam, $872 in cash, and three cell phones when he was stopped by a Springfield police officer while driving a motorcycle on April 11, 2018.

Ball is the sixth defendant to be sentenced in the second case. Two co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

These cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. They were investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Woman sentenced to 12 years for setting Springfield home on fire with three people inside

(From the Springfield Fire Department)

A woman has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after using a packet of Takis tortilla chips to set fire to a home with three people inside.

Patricia Williams, 44, sentenced Jan. 7 after pleading guilty to first-degree arson for sparking an Aug. 11, 2023, blaze in Greene County, multiple outlets reported.

 

On Aug. 11, 2023, Springfield-Greene County 911 Emergency Communications Department received a report of a house on fire at 2345 N. Weller Avenue. As units were dispatched to the scene, Springfield Police Department (SPD) Officers on patrol in the area observed thick black smoke coming from the rear of a house and stopped to investigate.

Officers were immediately met by witnesses who reported the fire had been intentionally set and identified the suspect, who was taken into custody while still on the scene. Springfield Fire arrived moments later and were able to quickly extinguish the fire.

“The cooperation between agencies was critical to the outcome of this case,” said Fire Marshal Travis Morrissey. “The SPD officer’s immediate response allowed them to take the suspect into custody before she could leave the scene, and their assistance with gathering witness statements allowed fire investigators to complete the thorough and systematic investigation for prosecution of the arson case.”

Morrissey said this case demonstrates how interagency cooperation leads to optimal outcomes. “The responding officer’s initiative and SPD’s continued support throughout the investigation were instrumental in achieving the outcome.”

Williams admitted to authorities that she used the spicy snack to start the fire knowing it would combust due to its high grease content, according to court documents.

Williams was captured on surveillance footage buying $2 worth of gasoline at a nearby gas station. She proceeded to pour the gasoline, which was stored in a soda bottle, on the home’s floor and a pile of laundry. Williams then set fire to the tortilla chips and used them to ignite the larger blaze.

Morrissey located a green soda bottle and an open bag of Takis chips in the kitchen near the laundry room. The soda bottle had a strong odor of an ignitable liquid emitting from the inside, and he determined the Takis chips could support a flame during a flammability test.

There were three people inside the house at the time who all escaped without injury. The relationship between Williams and the victims remains unclear.

In 2024, the Springfield Fire Department investigated 34 fires classified as incendiary or intentionally set. These investigations, as well as multiple investigations that carried over from 2023, resulted in a total of 16 arrests on felony charges. 2024 also saw the resolution of 16 criminal cases resulting in guilty pleas or convictions. Successful prosecution of these cases demonstrates the importance of collaboration between Springfield Fire, Police, and the Prosecutor’s Office.

Springfield Fire Department water rescue team saves retired MSU softball coach, dog

(From the Springfield Fire Department)

Thanks to the Springfield Fire Department Water Rescue team, retired Missouri State University women’s softball coach Holly Hesse got a second chance at life on Sunday after Hesse and her dog fell partially through the ice at the Lakeshore Apartments pond. Hesse went after one of her two dogs, fearing it might drown when it fell through the ice.

Captain Chris Gardner and equipment operator Tyler Nevins performed the rescue, with back up from members of the water rescue team, who trained as recently as last week.

Battalion Chief Christopher Roush, who oversees EMS and Special Operations, happened to be in the neighborhood when the alert came out and caught most of the life save on video. Chief Ben Houston was on scene organizing the response. He led the command of firefighters from multiple stations who were setting up for the incident as the water rescue team arrived.

“Our teams use special equipment to safely work in this environment; without it, the risk to anyone entering the water is extreme,” he said. The woman was transported to the shore, warmed up and taken via ambulance to Mercy out of an abundance of caution. Roush said her core temperature was low, which happens very quickly in these conditions.

Springfield teen indicted on weapons charge; stolen gun involved in two shootings

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A Springfield, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally possessing a stolen firearm that has been connected to two shootings.

Jayden Isaac Simmonds, 18, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Simmonds on Dec. 20, 2024.

The federal indictment charges Simmonds with one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Simmonds’s father turned in a Smith & Wesson 10mm semi-automatic pistol to the Springfield Police Department on Aug. 23, 2024. The pistol, which investigators later learned was stolen during the theft of a motor vehicle in December 2023, had been taken from Simmonds while he was asleep.

Investigators test-fired the pistol and submitted the 10mm cartridges to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) for analysis. The test-fired cartridges, the affidavit says, were a presumptive match to shell casings recovered from two separate shootings in Springfield in August 2024. The first shooting occurred on Aug. 4, 2024, on West Brower Street. An occupied residence was shot multiple times by unknown suspects. At least 17 rounds stuck the residence, but there were no injuries. The second shooting occurred on Aug. 14, 2024, on North Prospect Avenue. A disturbance resulted in shots being fired. One residence was struck, but there were no injuries reported.

Following his arrest, the affidavit says, Simmonds told investigators he had been using marijuana daily since he was 11 or 12 years old, and that he was addicted to opioids and had been using fentanyl.

The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Springfield Fire Department trains on ice rescue, reminds public of dangers

(From the Springfield Fire Department)

When frigid weather arrives and the general public are bundled up indoors, the Springfield Fire Department Water Rescue Team gears up and heads out to practice ice rescue.

Every year, 250 Americans die after falling into icy ponds, lakes, and streams and rescuers have only moments to respond and bring victims to safety. Team members braved the cold this week to practice safely breaking through the ice, executing self-rescue and victim movement maneuvers.

 

The Springfield Fire Department reminds the public to stay off the ice.

“While at the surface the ice appears solid and capable of supporting your weight, the reality is much different which could result in falling through the ice into very cold water,” Springfield Fire Chief David Pennington says. “This becomes a dangerous and very serious situation very quickly.”

If you witness someone playing on ice or who has fallen through the ice, the Fire Department wants to remind you of a few important actions to help save a life.Call 9-1-1 so that the Water Rescue Team is promptly notified and responding.

If safe to do so, maintain voice and visual contact with the victim. Provide encouragement and assurance that help is on the way. Be prepared to assist in guiding responders to the location.
Do not attempt rescue.

“Our teams use special equipment to safely work in this environment; without it, the risk to anyone entering the water is extreme," Battalion Chief of EMS and Special Operations Christopher Roush said.

“Please, for your safety, just stay off the ice,” Pennington said.

Improvements completed- Roaring River State Park Campground 3 reopens

(From Missouri State Parks)

Visitors to Roaring River State Park will be excited to know that the improvements to Campground 3 are complete and the campground will reopen for guests Feb. 25, 2025. Guests will be able to make reservations starting Jan. 6, 2025, for arrival beginning Feb. 25.

Missouri State Parks is working to maintain access to park resources while other construction projects in the park continue. Park representatives appreciate visitors’ understanding of this situation.

Roaring River State Park is located at 12716 Farm Road 2239, 7 miles south of Cassville on Highway 112 in Barry County. For more information, contact the park office at 417-847-2539.

For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Arrest made in connection with Springfield's first murder of 2025

(From the Springfield Police Department)

The Springfield Police Department Homicide Unit continues to investigate the Jan. 1 murder of David Franklin, 23, and the case was presented to the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office (GCPO) for a review of potential charges.

Marquese Gaten, 22, from Springfield, was arrested in connection with this incident and is charged with stealing and tampering with evidence. Gaten is being held at the Greene County Jail with no bond.

As the investigation progresses, the GCPO will be provided with updates so they may determine if additional charges are warranted in the future.

The Greene County Prosecutor’s Office cautions that the charges contained in the complaint are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

Previous release:

On Jan. 1, 2025, at 2:10 a.m., Springfield police officers responded to report of a shooting at 1919 W. Bennett Street.

Officers arrived on scene and located David Franklin, 23, from Springfield, with a gunshot wound. Franklin died from his injury. His family has been notified.

The suspect was later identified and taken into custody for questioning.

Detectives continue to investigate and ask anyone with additional information about this incident to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477) or online at p3tips.com.

This is Springfield’s first homicide investigation in 2025.