Rural Justice Report

Tracking Local Crime and Court Cases

This is a Crime Page dedicated to keeping our community informed about court cases and legal matters occurring in Cedar County and the surrounding areas. As residents of rural America, it is essential to stay aware of the issues affecting our neighborhoods. Knowledge fosters safety and community engagement.

Through this platform, we aim to shed light on local legal proceedings and empower our readers to stay informed. Please remember that all individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The El Dorado Springs Sun strives to present accurate information but cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions in our reporting.

Stay updated on local cases by subscribing to The El Dorado Springs Sun. Please send all corrections or typos to sunpub@centurylink.net, including the article information in the subject line.

Cedar County man arrested July 1, held in jail ahead of October rape trial

From the El Dorado Springs Newsroom

A Cedar County man is being held in the county jail following a July arrest, ahead of his scheduled October jury trial on multiple felony charges, including rape.

Jeffrey K. Spies, of Humansville, was arrested on July 1, 2025, after a capias warrant was issued for violating the conditions of his house arrest and GPS monitoring. As of press time, he remains incarcerated at the Cedar County Jail.

Spies faces two counts of first-degree rape or attempted rape, one count of second-degree statutory rape, and one misdemeanor count of supplying liquor to a minor or intoxicated person. All charges were originally filed on May 24, 2022, following an investigation by the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office in Stockton.

A probable cause statement was submitted in July 2022, and formal charges were filed in March 2023 by Cedar County Prosecuting Attorney Ty Gaither. The case has since seen multiple delays, including a change-of-judge request that reassigned the case to Circuit Judge Fisher, who will now preside over all further proceedings.

Spies was previously released on a $50,000 cash or surety bond in December 2024, with strict conditions imposed by Judge Fisher. Those conditions included GPS tracking, house arrest at a farm in Humansville, and restrictions prohibiting any contact with women to whom he is not related by marriage or blood. He was only permitted to leave the property for court or medical appointments.

The court alleges Spies violated those terms, prompting the recent warrant and arrest. A motion to revoke his bond is scheduled for hearing on July 25, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in the courtroom of Judge Fisher at the Cedar County Courthouse in Stockton.

A pretrial conference and Frye hearing, focused on evidentiary matters, is set for September 26, 2025, and a three-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on October 15, 2025, with Judge Fisher presiding.

Spies remain in custody and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Stockton woman, 85, arrested on burglary charge over holiday weekend

From the El Dorado Springs Newsroom

An 85-year-old Stockton woman, Dorothy Decleva, was taken into custody on Saturday, July 5, 2025, following her arrest on suspicion of second-degree burglary.

According to booking information from the Cedar County Jail website, Decleva was arrested at approximately 7:28 p.m. by Officer Ben of the Stockton Police Department and transported to the Cedar County Jail. She was held on a 24-hour probable cause hold with no bond set.

The listed charge is burglary in the second degree, as defined under Missouri statute RSMo 569.170, a felony offense. Jail records show she was categorized under “Medium 3 Theft/Burglary,” and no scheduled release time was initially posted. Decleva was later released after the 24-hour hold expired.

As of press time, no formal charges appear on Missouri Casenet, and further details—such as the nature of the property involved or any filing decision by the Cedar County Prosecutor’s Office—have not been made public.

All information was sourced from the Cedar County Jail website. This case remains under investigation.

Hume man arrested following drug raid, faces felony charges in Vernon County

From the El Dorado Springs Newsroom

A Vernon County man with a lengthy criminal history is once again facing felony drug charges after authorities executed a search warrant at his Hume residence last week.

David Earl Shelton was arrested on July 1, 2025, after Vernon County Sheriff’s deputies and Nevada Police officers searched his home on East Rumbaugh Street. According to a probable cause statement filed by Detective Michael Bullinger, officers discovered 31.7 grams of methamphetamine, a green glass pipe with meth residue, and a digital scale with traces of meth on it. The drug evidence was reportedly hidden inside a Moto G Stylus 5G phone box atop a kitchen pantry.

Shelton, who has multiple prior criminal cases in Vernon County, was formally charged with three felony offenses: delivery of a controlled substance (Class C felony), possession of a controlled substance (Class D felony), and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia related to methamphetamine (Class E felony).

Detectives noted in court filings that Shelton’s residence has been the subject of multiple search warrants in the past, each resulting in the discovery of illegal narcotics and paraphernalia. In the most recent raid, investigators stated that the scale and packaging materials found suggested distribution-level activity.

Shelton appeared in custody via video before Circuit Judge Brandon B. Fisher on July 1 for arraignment, where he entered a not guilty plea. The court scheduled a bond hearing for Monday, July 7, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at the Vernon County Courthouse in Nevada.

The court issued a capias warrant prior to Shelton’s arrest, citing both public safety concerns and repeated drug activity at the residence. In the probable cause statement, Detective Bullinger wrote that Shelton poses a danger to the public based on the recurring nature of narcotics-related offenses at his home.

Shelton has multiple other open and prior cases in the Circuit Court of Vernon County, including felony drug cases filed in 2015, 2016, and 2020, as well as misdemeanor and infraction cases that have been filed more recently.

As of press time, Shelton remains in custody at the Vernon County Jail pending his bond hearing. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Narcotics, gun found in home of Hume man during June 30 raid

From the El Dorado Springs Newsroom

A Hume man was arrested last week following a narcotics raid conducted by the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office and the Nevada Police Department. The search, part of a broader investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in the region, resulted in the seizure of illegal drugs, paraphernalia, and the arrest of multiple individuals.

Thomas Dale Shelton was taken into custody on July 1, 2025, after officers executed a search warrant at his home on East Rumbaugh Street in Hume. According to a probable cause statement filed by Detective Michael Bullinger, authorities located 31.7 grams of methamphetamine concealed in a Moto G Stylus 5G phone box, along with a green glass pipe containing burnt meth residue and a digital scale that tested positive for methamphetamine.

Shelton has been charged with three felonies: delivery of a controlled substance (Class C felony), unlawful possession of a firearm (Class C felony), and unlawful use of a weapon while in possession of a controlled substance (Class E felony). Prosecutors allege Shelton posed a danger to the community and cited repeated drug-related search warrants previously carried out at the same address.

Court records indicate that Shelton appeared via video for arraignment before Circuit Judge Brandon B. Fisher on July 1, where he entered a not guilty plea. A bond appearance hearing is scheduled for Monday, July 7, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at the Vernon County Courthouse in Nevada.

The case is one of several tied to a coordinated drug enforcement action carried out by local law enforcement on June 30. Officials confirmed that Shelton was one of three individuals arrested during the operation. In a public statement, the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office said they remain committed to “keeping our communities safe and holding those involved in the distribution of illegal drugs accountable.”

Shelton has prior felony cases on record dating back to the early 2000s, including drug and weapon-related offenses. He remains in custody at the Vernon County Jail as of press time.

He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.