Man Who May Have Caused Crash That Killed Nye Siblings Commits Suicide:

Matthew and Leigh Nye (photo courtesy Jenny Fromme)

The man who may have allegedly caused a fatal car crash that claimed the lives of Leigh and Matthew Nye as they returned from Table Rock Lake last Sunday (10-10-10) has committed suicide, according to a law enforcement.

Authorities are attempting to link a missing persons report filed by family members of a man from Blue Springs, his dark colored SUV that had been in the parking lot of Silver Dollar City since about noon Sunday and the fatal crash the same day. 

Raymond Clifford Cook, 45, who was reported missing and possibly suicidal on October 9th, apparently hanged himself in a wooded area about a quarter mile away from the amusement park. 
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According to online court records, Carol Leann Cook filed several orders of protection against Raymond Cook on October 12th  in Jackson County.
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Rodney Clifford Cook

The fatal crash happened about 11:00 a.m. Sunday when Leigh swerved to miss a dark colored SUV that had been weaving in and out of traffic and passing cars on Hwy 160 about a mile South of Spokane.  Leigh over corrected and slammed into a pickup truck driven by Kevin Hampel.  Hampel was treated for injuries at a Springfield hospital.
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"We're 98% sure he's our guy," said Troop D spokesman Sgt. Dan Bracker.

The siblings, who were the only children of Jeff and Kim Nye, were laid to rest today at Eastlawn Cemetery in Springfield.