In Dallas County, Missouri, a judge has sentenced a second man to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of Cassidy Rainwater.
Rainwater's remains were discovered in a residence where she had been photographed partially clothed in a cage.
Timothy Norton received his sentence on Tuesday, and as part of his plea deal, charges of abandonment of a corpse and kidnapping were dropped.
James Phelps, the other man involved, previously entered an Alford plea, acknowledging that there was sufficient evidence to convict him of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and abandonment of a corpse, although he did not admit guilt.
The VictiM
The murder of 33-year-old Rainwater occurred in September 2021, and her identification as the victim was established through DNA analysis of the remains found at Phelps' residence.
On September 16, the FBI provided investigators with photos revealing Rainwater's body bound to a gantry crane, typically used for processing deer.
The distressing images also depicted her subjected to evisceration and dismemberment, as highlighted in a social media post by the Dallas County Sheriff's Department at the time.
Rainwater's remains were discovered in a freezer labeled with the inscription "7-24," along with an adjacent property.
During the investigation, digital evidence was recovered, demonstrating that Phelps and Norton had planned Rainwater's murder, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The initial report of Rainwater's disappearance was made by a woman on August 25, 2021, who informed law enforcement that Rainwater had last been seen with Phelps in July 2021.
The Suspects
When questioned, Phelps claimed that Rainwater had stayed with him temporarily and mentioned her intention to go to Chicago.
Phelps also stated that a month before she went missing, Rainwater met someone in a vehicle at the end of his driveway late at night.
Norton revealed to FBI agents that Rainwater was asleep when he visited Phelps.
He allegedly described how he held her legs down while Phelps strangled her and placed a plastic bag over her head.
The two men then took Rainwater's lifeless body outside, hung her from the gantry crane, and dismembered her, as stated by Norton during the investigation.
Following Norton's sentencing, he expressed to local station KYTV that he deserved to die. He also reportedly mentioned that he and Phelps believed Rainwater had stolen items from them, and they wanted them back.
However, things took a tragic turn at Phelps' residence. It is worth noting that Phelps' home was destroyed by arson on October 4, and fire investigators discovered two explosive devices near the property, consisting of mortar tubes and balloon covers with attached trip wires.
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