2 arrested after body found by fisherman in Butler County
BUTLER COUNTY, Mo. (KBSI) – The Butler County Major Case Squad arrested two people after the shooting death of a man.
The body of Johnathan K. Esparza was found by a fisherman on September 7 near Butler County Road 611.
Authorities arrested Jonathon Kimbrough, 43, of Chicago, Illinois and Wanda M. Stevens, 31, of Poplar Bluff face charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action.
Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs says the shooting stemmed from an earlier physical fight between Esparza and Stephens.
Sheriff Dobbs says the fight enraged Kimbrough who later shot Esparza numerous times while he was sitting in the driver seat of a stolen van there were using for transportation after the shooting.
Sheriff Dobbs says the two suspects wrapped the victim in a comforter, then drove to County Road 611 where he says they drug the body into a wooded area and discarded it.
Kimbrow and Stevens were taken to the Butler County Justice Center.
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