These 6 older Ozarks homicide cases could go to trial soon. Here's what to know
Several Springfield-area homicide cases with criminal charges dating back to 2020 and older remain open.
The COVID-19 pandemic, turnover of judges and attorneys, federal charges and a wide range of continuances have led to delays in court proceedings that may reach their conclusion in the coming days and months.
Here are six homicide cases that set to go to trial in 2024 if the defendant does not plead guilty.
Todd Blankenship
Todd Blankenship is accused of shooting and killing his wife, 46-year-old Staci Whiteley, at their Nixa home on Timber Ridge Drive in July 2019. He faces charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action and domestic assault.
There had been several reports in 2019 of Blankenship abusing Whiteley, a mother of five, during the couple's brief marriage. Court documents say Blankenship was accused of assaulting Whiteley on April 13, June 5, June 25 and June 30 of that year, and that a temporary order of protection was filed on July 1, days before the woman's death.
Due to a change in venue, Blankenship is scheduled to face a Platte County jury in the Kansas City area. The trial, which will have Christian County prosecutors, begins on Monday, April 29 with jury selection before the state and defense make their opening arguments.
Scott Goodwin-Bey
Goodwin-Bey, 55, was indicted by a grand jury in 2018 on four counts of first-degree murder and four counts of armed criminal action. Prosecutors say he fatally shot four people inside Room 149 at the Economy Inn on North Glenstone Avenue in Springfield because he believed the victims — Trevor Fantroy, 43, Lewis Green, 44, Danielle Keyes, 29, and Christopher Freeman, 24 — were informing police about his drug use. Goodwin-Bey had also spent time in federal prison for an illegal gun charge, which appears to have delayed prosecution in this case.
He is slated for a Greene County jury trial in to begin September 5 with Judge Joshua Christensen.
Andrew Lynch
Lynch faces three counts of second-degree murder and other charges after authorities say he was impaired by a combination of alcohol, meth and marijuana and drove recklessly into another vehicle, killing three people in August 2019.
Following a brief chase with a Greene County deputy — some of it broadcast live on the A&E show "Live PD" — Lynch's truck crashed into a Ford Fusion at the intersection of Glenstone Avenue and Kearney Street, killing Jamin Seabert, 41, Kimberly Seabert, 39, and Braeden Seabert, 19.
The Greene County Sheriff's Office said its chase with Lynch ended 30 seconds before the collision. He was pursued, authorities said, because dispatchers had received multiple calls about his dangerous driving near the fairgrounds.
Lynch is slated for a bench trial to begin June 7 in Greene County with Judge Kaiti Greenwade.
Austin Ball
Ball, 31, was charged in April 2020 with second-degree murder in connection with the killing of 24-year-old Caelan D. Troy.
Troy and others had reportedly arranged to buy marijuana from Ball outside of the Phillips 66 on Kearney Street near Fulbright Avenue, but the would-be buyers hatched a plan to rob Ball. At some point during the evening meet-up, the police said Ball became aware he was going to be robbed and he fired three shots at Troy, who was approaching Ball's driver's side door.
More: Man's body found near Miller farm. Authorities say death likely a homicide
While this is a Greene County case, Ball has been in federal custody on separate charges. He was slated for a plea hearing on the Springfield murder charges earlier this year, but court records indicate that hearing did not occur and he a case management hearing April 30.
Steven Calverley
Nine people were charged in connection to the brutal Aug. 16, 2020 death of Sarah Pasco in Lawrence County. Eight have since pleaded guilty and received sentences ranging from 15 to 40 years in prison.
Steven Chase Calverley has continued to fight his charges of first-degree murder, assault, robbery, kidnapping and four counts of armed criminal action. He is scheduled for a Christian County bench trial on October 21 where his fate will be decided by Judge Laura Johnson.
Pasco and another woman were kidnapped by a group, held at gunpoint, and forced to dig their own graves before being transported to an old and abandoned well near Miller. Once the women stepped inside the well, another man, Gary Hunter Jr., shot and killed Pasco while her friend, who survived, hid under Pasco's body.
Each of the nine defendants in this case were initially charged with first-degree murder.
Terry Robinson
Terry Robinson faces charges of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and filing a false police report for accidentally shooting and killing his roommate Tyler Crenshaw, a track and field athlete at Evangel University.
Robinson, who was on Evangel's football team at the time of the April 30, 2020 shooting, told police that Crenshaw died from drive-by shooting in front of their North Springfield home. Robinson admitted later in the day that he was being careless with the gun and accidentally shot Crenshaw.
Robinson and a codefendant in the case who owned the gun, Angelito Silva, allegedly waited several minutes to call police. Silva reportedly asked Robinson not to dial 911 because he was afraid to get in trouble. Silva pleaded guilty to filing a false report and tampering with evidence.
Four years after the shooting, a Greene County jury trial is currently set for May 13 in Judge Kaiti Greenwade's courtroom.
Ryan Collingwood covers a wide range of topics for the News-Leader with an emphasis on public safety. He can be reached by phone at 417-258-8174 and email at rcollingwood@news-leader.com. You can also follow Ryan on social media at X.com/rwcollingwood
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: These Ozarks homicide cases dating to 2020, earlier may be tried soon
