Kansas City News Blog

Jill Conaghan

​A Johnson County judge denied bond yesterday for Jill Conaghan, the 19-year-old woman charged with involuntary manslaughter and driving under the influence in connection with the hit-and-run death of an Overland Park woman.

The Kansas City Star reports that the judge refused to lower Conaghan's bond due to her history of drug abuse. The judge even said her abuse of drugs left him "genuinely concerned about public safety."

Meanwhile, Conaghan's defense attorneys argued in favor of allowing her to finish an out-of-state, drug-treatment program.

​A little update from the KCPD's Vice Section on last week's large-scale prostitution bust.

The final tally of arrests was 123, split pretty much down the middle between soliciting (prostitutes) and patronizing (johns), said Sgt. Brad Dumit.

Officers and detectives in the multi-agency effort also recovered crack, marijuana, stolen autos and made arrests on outstanding warrants.

"It was a fun week," Dumit said.

​A committee studying the notion of a downtown convention hotel is beginning to spend its $500,000 allowance.

On Tuesday, the committee selected a consultant who will endeavor to find the City of Kansas City, Missouri, a developer and a hotelier. The proposal that's brought back will then be examined by a third party to determine the size of the crater it will make in the city budget. A "convention headquarters" hotel will require substantial taxpayer assistance if it's to be built.

Councilwoman Cindy Circo, who chairs the Kansas City Convention Center Hotel Development Steering Committee, says the third-party review will serve as a "reality check" against the typically lofty promises of developers. "Whoever wants to do the deal is going to bring you whatever it is you want to hear, is going to bring you all the numbers to say, 'Yes, this is the right thing to do.' We wanted to make sure we had a stopgap."

The committee chose Convention Center Hotel Advisors, a Minnesota company that in July completed an analysis of the key planning issues for a prospective convention hotel. Apparently, the keys include hiring Minnesota consultants.

​It didn't take long for eBay to pull the last two auctions aimed at raising money for the legal defense of Scott Roeder, the man accused of killing Wichita abortion provider George Tiller.

The online auction house removed several auctions for Roeder early Monday, including one for a pencil sketch of Biblical character David holding the decapitated head of Goliath, whose forehead read "Tiller" and corpse read "Child murdering industry."

But two auctions -- one for a "prolife Bible" that belonged to Shelley Shannon, a convicted clinic arsonist who shot and wounded Tiller in 1993, and a Catechism from anti-abortion activist Michael Bray and signed by members of the militant anti-abortion group the Army of God -- lasted into late Monday afternoon before eBay pulled them.

I watched both items top $50.

​
Two auctions are ongoing to raise money for Scott Roeder, the man charged with killing Wichita abortion provider George Tiller. Earlier today, we noted Talking Points Memo's awesome coverage of the auctions to raise money for Roeder (although the items had been removed by the time we checked for them).

After 10 bids, a "prolife Bible" that belonged to Shelley Shannon -- the convicted clinic arsonist who shot and wounded Tiller in 1993 -- is up to $51. The Bible's description reads:

Don't believe me. Believe God. This is the King James Version Bible owned by S.h.e.l.l.y S.h.a.n.n.o.n until she sent it to me about 10 years ago when she was transferred from state to federal prison. I have highlighted many verses in it which prolifers cite to show that conception is "when life begins", at least in God's opinion.

The description also cites the Bible's glorification of violence.

There is real disagreement between God and America's police and courts. It is not over whether vio-lence is sometimes just-ified, but it is over when it is just-ified.

The listing also references Roeder by name, saying Roeder's attorney will employ "the Ne-cess-ity De-fense."

Also listed is a Catechism from anti-abortion activist Michael Bray and signed by members of the militant anti-abortion group the Army of God. After two bids, the Catechism is up to $15.50.

The items were listed by "freespeech4america."

Talking Points Memo has an enumeration of violations for the previous items pulled by eBay. They also have a statement from eBay.

Today, eBay removed several listings on our site that violated several of our policies including our offensive materials' policy. This policy prohibits items that promote or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual, or religious intolerance, or promote organizations with such views.

​
The auction to raise money for legal defense of Scott Roeder, the man charged with killing Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller, reportedly went live Sunday night.

KCTV 5 reported that up for auction was a Bible from Shelley Shannon, the convicted clinic bomber/arsonist who shot and wounded Tiller in 1993, and a Catechism signed by Michael Bray.

But the best coverage is from Talking Points Memo, which features a slideshow of the auction items, including the above signed pencil sketch autographed by Roeder.

Talking Points Memo says Roeder wrote this item description for the set of drawings, which had one bid of $50:

His name is Jason Dubrowski and is one of the best artists I've seen in here. The drawing of the man and woman at Tiller's tombstone was done in response to the opinion page depiction which I included. The drawing of the field of babies tombstones with the newspaper headline comments of Obama was done after a Christian newsletter printed this illustration which a lady in Valley Center sent to me. The David and Goliath depiction was my idea. I hope they help get the message out there.

On the David and Goliath sketch, Roeder wrote: "To all you precious prolifers, Thank you for your support!"

The seller of the auction items is "mission.of.life," Talking Points reports.

As of 10:30 a.m. Monday, the only item up for auction by mission.of.life was an "abortion is murder" bumper sticker. Starting bid is $5.

Talking Points Memo had links (here and here) to the auctions, but they now bring up this message:

This listing (200401118000) has been removed, or this item is not available

Jason Miller has become a recognizable face to the employees of the Johnson County Park and Recreation Department. Over the past six months, the founder of Bite Club of KC has been the most outspoken and visible activist protesting the deer cull in Shawnee Mission Park. He's testified at public meetings and demonstrated in various dramatic forms at the park gates.

Jason Miller with Victoria, the dead deer head

​But last week, he took his opposition to a more personal level.

A little after 8 p.m. on Thursday, Miller visited the Olathe home of Michael Meadors, director of Johnson County Parks and Rec.

Miller says he simply delivered a "Notice of Dangerous Condition," a two-page list of Bite Club's concerns about safety precautions during the hunt at Shawnee Mission Park. Among the list of complaints, the letter alleges that a lack of warning signs and inadequate security personnel are putting area residents at risk of "physical trauma and death" from deer hunters.

"He answered the door and he recognized me," Miller says of the encounter with Meadors. "I said, 'Hello, Mike, I've got something for you to read,' and handed him the envelope and left. Then, about an hour later, the police showed up at my house."

MySpace/dennishess

Chris Mitchell and Dennis Hess

​Chris Mitchell was a close friend and former fiancée of Dennis Hess, the former owner of Denim & Diamonds. Because space constraints and other complications prevented her from being quoted in the October 14 feature, "Denim & Death," she contributed this piece, sent to The Pitch via e-mail, for inclusion in our continuing coverage of the story.

Mitchell writes:

Dennis Hess was the love of my life.

We met about 15 years ago at Denim & Diamonds. He had his perch in the bar where he could sit and see most everything going on. It was from his favorite spot, a railing on the riser nearest the main bar, that he asked me out for the first time. That date started with my first visit to Corner Cafe, included a visit to his hometown of Atchison, Kansas, and ended enjoying the stars on his porch swing. That was the beginning of our years together.

Although I can't speak for the years between his last divorce and the beginning of our relationship, I would hardly describe Dennis as being "relatively unattached" before meeting Lena [Hess]. Dennis shared his love for Denim & Diamonds with me, but it was the sharing of his love for the friends he made there and the love of his family which I cherish most. He asked me to marry him on my birthday in 2002, and we were engaged when we met Lena.

On Friday night, the Folly Theater was full of men and women in tuxedos and ball gowns, sipping wine and greeting each other with kisses on the cheek. The audience for Ailey II was a who's who of city elite: Congressman Emanuel Cleaver; Tom McDonnell, CEO of DST Systems; Kansas City City Manager Wayne Cauthen.

Photo by Nicole Reinertson

​But those weren't the VIPs at this performance.

Up in the balcony, the back rows of the renovated venue were packed with kids in jeans and parkas, all students in the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey dance programs. Because of KCFAA's unique ties to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City, local kids get an unprecedented chance to see and study with some of the nation's most talented young dancers. While the slate of Ailey II performances, which raised more than $180,000 for local youth programming, started on Thursday, the professionals spent plenty of time off stage and in the community.

Tyrone Aiken, KCFAA's executive director, says the dancers visited not only area schools, like Cristo Rey, but also traveled to Lansing Correctional Facility to perform for the prisoners. Later in the week, more than 3,000 children packed into the Folly for mini-performances that, Aiken says, had students dancing in their seats. On Friday, the show had a similar effect, bringing the audience of movers and shakers -- and wide-eyed students -- to their feet for a standing ovation.

Click here for a slideshow of the stunning performance.

via cnsnews.com

Mark Muller

​A couple of days ago, we read about Mark Muller's boycott of the NFL.

Muller, owner of Max Motors and wannabe arms dealer (he offered $450 vouchers so Missourians get an AK-47 with the purchase of a truck from his dealership), claimed he was giving up his Kansas City Chiefs season tickets after the NFL supposedly blocked Rush Limbaugh's attempt to buy the St. Louis Rams.

I finally caught up with Muller yesterday, and he clarified: It's not about Rush. It's about America being "destroyed by a bunch of bunch of left-wing, politically correct morons."

"When the NFL decides that they want to step up and condemn a whole segment of America -- conservatives -- because he's [Rush] not appropriate for the NFL, then I'm not an appropriate fan," Muller said.

​

Jason Whitlock and friends

​Kansas City Star and Fox Sports columnist and noted fitness expert and master gardener Jason Whitlock apologized to Rush Limbaugh for last week's column in which he used a couple of unsourced quotes attributed to Limbaugh by Jack Huberman in his book 101 People Who Are Really Screwing America. These two to be exact:

• "You know who deserves a posthumous Medal of Honor? James Earl Ray (Dr. King's assassin). We miss you, James. Godspeed."

• "Let's face it, we didn't have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: Slavery built the South. I'm not saying we should bring it back. I'm just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark."

Limbaugh denies saying either.  And now Whitlock is sorry for using the unverified quotes. As I pointed out, there's a volume of work for Whitlock to pull from. He didn't have to use these quotes. And he knows it.

What really irritates me about my column last week is that I certainly didn't need the quotes to make my point.

He's right. Even though he apologized, Whitlock didn't back down from his stand that a man with Limbaugh's cache --  a man with the reputation of a little-blue-pill-popping sex tourist -- doesn't belong among the NFL's owners.

The word from Whitlock:

I'd write the exact same column if [Al] Sharpton and [Jesse] Jackson tried to buy a piece of the Chicago Bears.

It doesn't matter that many of the owners enjoy Limbaugh's hustle or agree with his politics. They earned or inherited their money legitimately, and they don't spend three hours a day on the radio trying to stir up racial animosity.

If that's not clear enough, think of it this way: Steve Hirsch, the founder of Vivid Entertainment, is wealthy enough to buy a piece of an NFL franchise. Porn is legal, enjoyed by many football fans and probably a few owners. No one would think twice if the NFL declined to associate its brand with Hirsch. No one would think it unusual or unfair if feminists and sportswriters objected to Hirsch purchasing an NFL franchise.

Solid point. Now can we get back to writing about "strange tang," already? Steve Phillips' sex scandal is calling your name, Whitlock.

Charles Hollingsworth III

​Next week, the Kansas Supreme Court is scheduled to hear an appeal from Charles Hollingsworth III, the man serving a life sentence for hanging self-appointed homeless lobbyist David Owen in 2006.

A press release from the state's highest court says Hollingsworth is appealing on these grounds: "Whether defendant's statements to police were voluntarily and intelligently made and whether the court erred in permitting the state to introduce evidence of defendant's outstanding warrant to show motive or intent."

Earlier this year, the Kansas Supreme Court upheld first-degree murder and kidnapping convictions against Kimberly Sharp, who, in 2006, Hollingsworth called his "fiancée."

In a letter to the Pitch in 2006, Hollingsworth quoted Scripture as apparent evidence of his jailhouse conversion and halfheartedly confessed to killing David Owen.

"I had to kill a man to realize that the lifestyle I was living wasn't getting me anywhere," he wrote. "I had to kill a man just to realize that the path my father was trying lead me to was actually what I needed to do and was ... the best move for me. I say I had to kill a man because of killing a man I am guilty of, but of 1st degree murder, I am not guilty of, more like reckless second/voluntary manslaughter!!"

Hollingsworth added, "I also have the hope of David Owens [sic] and many others being resurrected either to everlasting life or to judgment here in the near future (John 5:28, 29)."

Hollingsworth's hearing before the Kansas Supreme Court is scheduled for October 28 at 9 a.m.

​First, a disclosure, my wife and I are one of the four community supported agriculture (CSA) members at Bad Seed Farm. As such, we have a vested interest in seeing Bad Seed succeed.

Jonathan Bender wrote this post on Fat City earlier today. Since it updates Carolyn Szczepanski's post from earlier this week, we're cross posting.

Urban farmers, community leaders and city officials gathered before a crowd of close to 100 people at Bad Seed Farm's downtown market space on Tuesday night to discuss the process for potentially changing the development code in Kansas City.

"We need to look at urban agriculture as a potential solution to problems in the city, whether it's the use of vacant lots, the greening effort, or health issues," said Daniel Heryer, who runs Bad Seed Farm with his wife, Brooke Salvaggio.

Katherine Kelly, the director of the Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture, acted as moderator at the community meeting, which was designed to seek input and find community advocates willing to serve on an urban agriculture steering committee tasked with drafting an amendment to the current ordinance that governs zoning and development.

"Ideally we'll come up with templates that will serve as a model for other municipalities," said Kelly of the committee, which will have a separate subcommittee on raising livestock in an urban or suburban setting.

City officials candidly discussed the reasons why Bad Seed Farm was issued citations for violating the current development code, while also recognizing that this issue requires the code to be updated.

Self portrait via cnsnews.com

Mark Muller

The loonies claiming they're giving up the National Football League due to its treatment of oppressed rich white guy Rush Limbaugh can count a Kansas City car dealer among their ranks.

Our sister paper The Riverfront Times points out that Mark Muller, owner of Max Motors and wannabe arms dealer (he saved Missourians from having to make the hard choice between a pickup truck and an assault rifle this summer by giving away free AK-47s with purchase of a truck), is now claiming that he's canceling his Kansas City Chiefs season tickets because the NFL supposedly blocked Limbaugh's attempt to buy the St. Louis Rams.

Muller told the Cybercast News Service that Limbaugh was the reason he first went to an NFL game. Muller claimed that he heard Limbaugh endorse the NFL on his radio program in the '80s. Muller supposedly talked to his wife, and they "gave up everything in our life at the time [so] we could buy two season tickets, no more dinners out, nothing." But no more.

"Had they handled it behind closed doors and Rush had bowed out I'd have known that he'd taken a screwing but I wouldn't have cared because I love the NFL," said Muller. "But to have the commissioner of the NFL get on TV and say we find him inappropriate, well, by God, then I'm an inappropriate fan."

Muller claimed the decision was an emotional one for his family. He told Cybercast news:

"I'll never go to another NFL game. My wife and I, we had a family meeting over it. All day we talked about football and Rush Limbaugh, and by that night at dinner my wife broke down in absolute tears, and we decided to cancel our tickets, to never go to another game."

Not only do the Chiefs lose a pair of season ticket holders, but Muller also told Cybercast News that he's done throwing tailgate parties at Arrowhead -- parties he claims attract about 800 fans at a time. 

​Having pleaded guilty to multiple counts of possessing child pornography, jazz piano player Bill Laursen will be sentenced in a hearing scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on December 3 in federal court.

Laursen was the subject of the July 30 feature story "Crash," which detailed the musician's history with legendary KC jazz band, the Scamps, as well as his attempts to explain, and in some ways justify, downloading thousands of photos of underage girls.

"First: Looking at pictures of naked people is not the same as molesting children. ...

"Second: We need to get things like this legal action against me moved over into the realm of where it belongs: not prison sentences but required psychotherapy with perhaps a little probation thrown in that will assure that emotional weaknesses like this are properly dealt with. ...

"Third: If the slow movement of American societal evolution when it comes to this delicate issue persistently remains stalled at focusing on punishing instead of curing, let's better educate the general populace that looking at naked images of minors will, without exception, get you a federal prison term of at least ten years."

Under federal sentencing guidelines, Laursen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole or as many as 110 years without parole, plus a fine of $1.5 million.

A federal judge sentenced a former Naval recruiter yesterday to 15 years in prison without parole for attempted commercial sex trafficking of a child.

Shane Allan Childers pleaded guilty in July to trying to pay $80 to have sex with an 11-year-old girl. Of course, this was part of a sting.

Childers, a 32-year-old Olathe man, was a naval recruiter at the time of the offense, and he used his government-issued computer at the Armed Forces Recruiting Station in Lenexa to reply to a Craigslist ad for sex with a child. He also used his Navy e-mail address and government-issued cell phone.

Childers even showed up to the rendezvous wearing his Navy uniform (but taking off the shirt). Inside the house used in the sting, Childers paid an undercover agent $60 to have sex with an 11-year-old girl and threw in an extra $20 so he wouldn't have to wear a condom.

Childers also admitted that he had used prostitutes since he served in Hong Kong in 1998.

The bio on Shane Childers' Facebook page read:

I am currently in the navy 12 years so far and 8 till i retire. married for 11 years so far and going strong, currently have 4 kids, my life!

Childers lists "family" among his interests. He also drops the ages of his children -- 10, 7, 5 and 3 -- and posts photos of himself and a woman under the title "love of my life."

​Carva Lee White, an itinerant preacher and convicted felon, has been implicated by federal authorities in an arson scheme.

An indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kansas, says White set fire to a church in Leavenworth where he was working as a music director. White intended to embezzle the insurance money, according to the indictment.

White, the musically gifted son of a preacher, has a long history of trying to make money in ways that do not involve honest toil. In 2001, he went to prison on a bank-fraud charge. He came to our attention in 2006, when children representing his ministry were selling candy by wading into busy intersections.

A preacher White worked with after his release from prison told me that White used the money raised from the candy sales to support himself. "The fund-raising is a crap of bull," the minister, Mike Hardy, said. "It's to help him."

​According to Louisiana's the Advocate, a settlement of $225,000 has been reached in a child sex abuse case naming former Kansas City auxiliary bishop Joseph Sullivan. After Kansas City, Sullivan went on to become bishop of Baton Rouge, from 1974 until his death in 1982.

The settlement money goes to Glenn Hymel, 45, of Houston, who claimed he met Sullivan while in seminary school for minors, and the older man followed him from school to school sexually abusing him for several years.

Before the child abuse allegations, Sullivan's memory was seemingly held in high esteem. A Baton Rouge high school even carried Sullivan's namesake, until it was removed in 2004 following the out-of-court settlement of a separate child abuse suit.

Here in Kansas City, some victims of priest abusers want more than just a name change for one building. In October 2008, I wrote about children molested in the St. Elizabeth's rectory who wanted to the building torn down ("The Ghosts of St. Elizabeth"). The local diocese didn't agree.

​With the rain starting to drench his shirt and bead in his hair, Jason Miller looked to his small gathering of animal rights followers last night.

"Are you guys cold?" he asked, shivering slightly from the nighttime chill or adrenaline of possible arrest.

"No, I'm hot," a woman in a pink ski outfit spit angrily, casting her eyes at the half-dozen police officers flanking the activists.

"Yeah, well, there's a lot to be hot about," Miller said.

Earlier in the day, Randy Knight, community relations manager for the Johnson County Park and Recreation Department, released details about the fate of the 300 deer that will be culled by sharpshooters over the next month to reduce the overpopulation in Shawnee Mission Park. The meat will be donated to Harvesters to feed low-income residents, while the hides will go to the Veterans Leather Program, which uses such material for fingerless gloves needed by wheelchair-bound soldiers.

But Miller was more interested in the blood.

In his latest act of defiance against the Johnson County deer "murderers," the militant vegan doused himself in animal gore.

​A St. Joseph man pleaded guilty today to promoting dogfighting.

Rick P. Hihath, 55, pleaded guilty in federal court. He and six other men (including one who taught at a high school in my hometown) were charged in June with running a dogfighting operation. A three-state raid seized 350 dogs.

Hihath, who worked at a state school for the disabled, pleaded guilty to transporting dogs across states lines (from Iowa and Nebraska to Missouri) to fight and being the Don King of dogfighting.

Last week, Cris E. Bottcher, a 48-year-old nurse from Gilman City, Missouri, admitted that he transported dogs across state lines for an animal fighting venture, and sponsored the dogfighting venture.

The government is trying to take over ownership of Hihath's seven pit bull terriers and five American bulldogs as well as Bottcher's 11 pit bull terriers. The Humane Society is taking care of the dogs now. 

Hihath could get up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $500,000. A sentencing hearing hasn't been set yet.

Gen. William B. Caldwell

​When I interviewed General William B. Caldwell, head honcho of  Ft. Leavenworth and the Command and General Staff College (often called the "intellectual center of the Army"), he called fellow West Point alum Gen. Stanley McChrystal  "a very close friend of mine." Now, the two will likely be working side-by-side in Afghanistan, thanks to a nomination by President Barack Obama. Obama wants Caldwell to train Afghan forces to fight the Taliban.

Bite Club of KC members aren't giving up their battle to save the deer in Shawnee Mission Park, but they're putting down their protest placards for a somber moment tonight.

Nicole Reinertson

Jason Miller with Victoria, the dead deer head

​As early as today, police sharpshooters will begin harvesting hundreds of deer in the Johnson County park, and animal rights activists intend to commemorate their four-legged friends with a gesture more common to mourn murder victims. Starting at 8 p.m., Bite Clubbers will gather for a candelight vigil at the main entrance of Shawnee Mission Park.

"Bring your own candles, signs, flowers and anything else that you think would fit our theme of a memorial for the deer," Jason Miller, founder of Bite Club, writes in an e-mail to supporters. "We suggest votive candles." 

That might not be the only activity at the gate, though. Miller also hints: "We have one more big surprise to unleash before the slaughter." Will it involve a dripping deer head? A road blockade? With Miller, nothing's inconceivable.

​The trial of two men accused of killing 28-year-old Lawrence rapper Anthony Vital has been pushed until May 2010, the Lawrence Journal-World reported today.

Durrell A. Jones,  24, and Major C. Edwards Jr., 30, are charged with first-degree murder in the death of Vital -- a case we profiled in June 2007 ("It's Hard Out Here for a Player").

Vital's bullet riddled body was found in a field west of Lawrence in October 2006.

The Journal-World reports that prosecutors sought the delay in order to try the cases back to back. Now, Edwards' trial is slated for May 3, and Jones' is scheduled for May 17.

Photo by Anna-Marie Perry.

Alvin Sykes

​Kansas City's Alvin Sykes helped re-open an investigation into the murder of Emmett Till and spent years urging Congress to secure funds for the U.S. Justice Department to investigate unsolved murders from the Civil Rights era. His efforts paid off a year ago today, when George W. Bush signed into law the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Act.

To celebrate, Sykes and the Emmett Till Justice Campaign are putting on a Truth and Justice Rally from 5 to 8 this evening at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, 3700 Blue Parkway. Sykes promises "a family friendly event with some entertainment and refreshments."

With Sykes, the term "family friendly" carries added meaning. As always, he encourages people to search their memories for distant relatives who might have mysteriously disappeared in the South in the '50s or '60s. Because now, thanks to Sykes' efforts, the Justice Department might be able to help figure out what happened.

Space for today's rally/celebration is limited, so Sykes asks that you make a reservation.

​Remember that big dog-fighting bust that took place this summer? The biggest dog fighting bust in the history of the United States? Justice is starting to reign down as we officially scrub the word "alleged" from our posts. Feel that freedom.

Not you, Cris E. Bottcher. Yesterday, Bottcher, a 48-year-old nurse from Gilman City, Missouri, admitted to conspiracy to transport animals across state lines for an animal fighting venture, and sponsoring or exhibiting an animal in an animal fighting venture, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Translation: Male nurse and alleged monster Cris E. Bottcher allegedly organized a bunch of blood-sport dog fights in his backyard earlier this year.

According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Bottcher could spend up to five years in a federal prison without parole, and pay fines up to $250,000. The government wants to seize his 11 pit bulls and hand him the bill for the last three months of the dogs' care at an undisclosed Humane Society of Missouri shelter.

Keep in mind that Bottcher is one of 19 men arrested for dog fighting-related crimes, and his 11 dogs were among 407 seized.

Overland Park police just released more information in the death of Keighley Ann Alyea. Police say the 18-year-old Overland Park woman's body was found around 9:30 p.m. Monday in a farm field near the intersection of East 235th Street and South State Route K Highway in Cass County, Missouri.

Dustin Hilt

We found out today that three men have been charged with first-degree murder in Johnson County. One of the men, 18-year-old Dustin Hilt, is reportedly a former boyfriend of Alyea.

Police questioned Hilt in regard to Alyea's disappearance over the weekend. He's now booked into the Johnson County jail on the murder charges.

Two other men -- Joseph Dathian Mattox, 21, and Gerald Scott Calbeck, 18 -- were also booked into the Johnson County jail early Tuesday morning on first-degree murder charges. They have not been officially connected to Alyea's death, but police announced Monday night that three men had been arrested in connection with the teen's death.

We should be hearing more as the day goes on.

Sean Michael Merritt

​A man questioned Sunday in the disappearance of 18-year-old Keighley Ann Alyea is still being held in the Johnson County jail on a 2007 warrant for telephone harassment.

Sean Michael Merritt, 22, is being held for failure to appear on the charges with a $25,000 bond.

Overland Park police questioned Merritt on Sunday, but few details have been released. Police say they took information from Merritt and were tracking other leads.

Alyea was last seen late last Tuesday. Police say they consider the 18-year-old's disappearance "a missing/possibly endangered person."

On Sunday, a police officer on patrol found Alyea's 1993 Mazda 626 parked behind an apartment complex next to a dumpster near 62nd and Foster in Mission, Kansas.

Overland Park police spokesman Jim Weaver tells The Pitch that the car is being processed for evidence and that should be done by the end of the day. However, whatever the police find likely won't be made public unless the Johnson County District Attorney's office gets involved.

Keighley Ann Alyea

​ Alyea is described as 5-feet-1-inches tall, 113 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Police have already questioned two men -- Jaymes Beebe and Dustin Hilt -- but released both after questioning. Beebe was being held in the Johnson County jail on a prior disorderly conduct warrant, but he bonded out the same day -- September 29 -- that he was brought in.

Alyea's family has started a "Bring Keighley Ann Alyea Home!" Facebook page. They're also collecting money through all Kansas City branches of Commerce Bank for a reward. Alyea's uncle Ed Frentrop tells The Pitch that they're already collected $2,000.

Frentrop also tells The Pitch that he's heard that everyone questioned is being swabbed for DNA. He also says that when Beebe showed up to help with a canvas, he was told to go home.

Alyea's friends and family don't believe she had a boyfriend at the time of her disappearance. They say she was living in an apartment in Overland Park, working at an Arby's and taking classes at Johnson County Community College. They also say it's totally out of character for Alyea to not be in contact with her family and friends for so long.

If you have any information about Alyea's disappearance, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477 or the Overland Park Police at 913-895-6300.

Jay Swearingen

​The Star's Tony Rizzo reported yesterday that the Midwestern Innocence Project won a $287,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance. The money will fund two paralegals for two years as they investigate claims of innocence from prison inmates whose convictions were not based on DNA evidence.

This news should give hope to inmates with situations like like Darryl Burton's, whose exoneration was the subject of last week's cover story. Inmates with strong claims of innocence can contact the Innocence Project for help, as an avenue through which to fight alleged wrongful convictions.

The additional funding is presumably another feather in the hat of Jay Swearingen, Executive Director of the Midwestern Innocence Project, who's also running as a Democrat for the Missouri House, District 31.

Western Wyandotte County has witnessed a building boom, with open spaces transformed into a sprawling shopping center, an exhaust-spewing speedway and, soon, a new soccer complex. But a group of local residents is pushing a different kind of construction in the vicinity of Village West.

Shane Jones

​An often-overlooked resource, Wyandotte County Lake Park sits a stone's throw from The Legends retail district. For members of the Trail Nerds, an ultra-running group I wrote about last year, this spot is a little slice of dirt-kicking, mud-splashing, root-strewn heaven. In recent years, the Nerds have added two miles of trails to extend the paths to a 10-mile loop. But they're not done yet.

Earlier this year, three seasoned Nerds -- Kyle Amos, Shane Jones and Jim Megerson -- pooled $100 and a bunch of tools from their collective garages to start a new endeavor: the Trail Masons Association. The grassroots crew aims to build more trails throughout the Kansas City area, but they're starting with 10 to 15 new miles at WyCo Park. "It's about giving back to our community, creating sustainable trails experiences, exposing folks to WyCo and the great outdoors," Megerson says.

And it's kicking off in earnest this weekend.

Many stretches of the trail at WyCo Park are badly eroded, Megerson says. So, in honor of National Public Lands Day tomorrow, the Masons are hosting a work session Saturday morning. As a reward for shoveling, hoeing, leveling and trash collecting, volunteers will get lunch -- and possibly some door prizes from Dynamic Earth and Gerber Legendary Blades.

The event runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sign up here.

David D. Liberty

A Parkville man -- and repeated child porn offender -- was sentenced today to 36 years in prison for possessing a lot of creepy child porn.

David D. Liberty is 50 years old, and Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd hopes Liberty's age combined with his sentence will be enough for him to die in prison. 

"My hope is that with this sentence, this man will spend the rest of his life in prison and never have another chance to hurt another young boy," Zahnd said in a statement released today.

In July, Liberty was convicted of promoting child pornography and eight counts possession of child porn.

Platte County prosecutors say Liberty had a particular fetish: "I LUV LIL BOYS 5 to 10 n diapers the best."

Inside Liberty's home, investigators found photos of preteen boys engaged in sexual acts, a picture of a naked young boy hog tied and photos of young boys between the ages of 8 and 12 in diapers -- and photos of Liberty wearing a diaper.