Body Found In Rural Taney Confirmed As Rusty Porter:

Taney County Coroner Kevin Tweedy says he has received confirmation from a forensic lab in Texas that the human remains of a male found murdered in rural Taney County last month are those of Rusty Porter.

This comes on the same day funeral services for Porter's wife, Becky, were held.

Becky and Rusty Porter went missing from their home near Willard last April.  After an exhaustive three month search a Taney County deputy, acting on a tip, discovered the couples bodies about two miles from Cedar Creek Road.  The area is surrounded by the dense woods of  the Mark Twain National Forest and the nearest house is approximately two miles away.

Authorities have not said what specifically what led the investigation to Taney County, but early on in the investigation Arnott said the couple had ties to the Branson area.  "We've been searching that area on and off for some time with ATV's and watercraft.  Let's just say that there is no way we could have picked that area without some specific information leading us there," Arnott said in July.

Becky Porter was positively identified by dental records and Rusty Porter was identified through medical records, MRI imaging and DNA.  Rusty Porter had undergone surgery for a spinal/brain tumor last fall. 

Tweedy says the forensic lab is still attempting to determine the cause of death and help investigators "with a timeline."  He says he expects the bodies will be released to family members within the next few weeks.

~BREAKING~"We're Sure It's Her"; Porter's Bodies To Be Sent Out Of State For Further Testing:

Taney County Coroner Kevin Tweedy says specialized and reconstructive testing will be performed on two bodies found last week in rural part of the county.

Those bodies are believed to belong to Becky and Rusty Porter who went missing from their Willard home in
April. 
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"We're sure the female is her (Becky).....the dental's match up, but the sheriff (Greene County) asked that the bodies be sent to a lab in Texas for anthropological study."
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Becky and Rusty Porter

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Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott told The Sentinel earlier this week that any statements regarding the bodies or the autopsies would be made by Tweedy since the bodies were found in Taney County.  Tweedy said today that he will have to check with Arnott to see what he can release.

"We're not going to release a cause of death at this time," said Tweedy.  However, a source close to the investigation says the couple were shot to death
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Tweedy says family members have been understanding,  "They agree that advanced forensic testing should be done."
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Excessive rain last spring and the oppressive heat this summer have contributed to the degradation of the bodies, according to Tweedy.

~BREAKING - DEVELOPING~ Human Remains Found In Taney County Belong To Rusty and Becky Porter:

A joint news conference by the top cops for Greene and Taney counties was held today to announce that human remains were found in a vacant rural area in eastern Taney County.

Family members say they were notified last night that they are those of Becky and Rusty Porter who went missing three months ago.

Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott has preliminary identified the remains found near Protem as the Poter's.  He says it will take about 5 days for authorities to make a positive identification through DNA.
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Taney County Sheriff Jimmie Russell says his office has been involved in the case for about six weeks and a Taney County deputy, working on information gleaned during the investigation, found the couple in an area about two miles from Cedar Creek Road near Cow Shed Ridge.
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The area is surrounded by the dense woods of  the Mark Twain National Forest and the nearest house is approximately two miles away, according to Russell.
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The bodies were found about two miles up from this rural road (courtesy KY3)

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The property is owned by someone who lives in the Forsyth area, according to Russell.

A source close to the investigation reveals that the Porter's bodies were covered with leaves and other debris when they were found.
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Neither law enforcer would not say specifically what led the investigation to Taney County, but early on in the investigation Arnott said the couple had ties to the Branson area.  "We've been searching that area on and off for some time with ATV's and watercraft.  Let's just say that there is no way we could have picked that area without some specific information leading us there," said Arnott.
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Becky Porter's daughter called authorities on April 19th.  She told authorities that she last talked to her mom on April 17th and that her mother was not feeling well.  After not being able to reach her mother for almost a full day she went to the house in Willard where she found the doors to the house open and the car keys to a newly purchased Mustang, the Porter's only mode of transportation, in the ignition.  Security cameras outside the house had been knocked down and the house reeked of bleach, according to family members.
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Family members say the Porter's installed the cameras because of a deep rift between Rusty Porter and his uncle, Robert Campbell, who lives on land adjacent to the Porter property, over a land transfer within the family.
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Campbell and Rusty Porter had each filed orders of protection against the other about a month before the Porter's disappearance - and Judge Mark Powell issued a consent judgement to each party on March 31st.  What that means is that each party was ordered to steer clear of the other.
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Arnott says the skeletal remains of the couple revealed a cause of death and investigators are now treating the case, "as a double homicide."  Although no one has been arrested in connection to the Porter's murders, Arnott says, "We have a focus."
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Family members say the couple were "executed."  Becky Porter's brother Darrell Huftt says, "They were found together."

Southwest Missouri Forensics will conduct autopsies on the remains on Monday in Springfield..
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Timeline in Porter case:

• April 17 - Russell and Rebecca's family finds their Willard home vacant.
• April 19 - Missing persons investigation launched.
• May 2 - Family announces reward of up to $15,000 for information.
• May 4 - Greene County Sheriff's Office begins digging up land on 3 properties near the Porters' home.
• June 10 - Darrell Hufft, Rebecca's brother, denies he had anything to do with the couple's disappearance.
• Mid June - Greene County Sheriff begins working with the Taney County Sheriff in the investigation.
• July 17 - Family members post fliers of the couple throughout southwest Missouri asking for leads.

• July 22 - Taney County and Greene County sheriffs hold joint news conference announcing they've found remains likely belonging to Russell and Rebecca Porter. The case is now considered a homicide investigation.

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News Release from Greene County Sheriff's Department:
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The Greene County Sheriff’s Office and the Taney County Sheriff’s Office are planning a news conference today at 2:30PM.
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Detectives with the Taney and Greene County Sheriff’s Offices along with the Taney County Coroner, Kevin Tweedy, have been conducting an investigation and have located human remains in Taney County.
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 Details of the case will be discussed at the news conference. 

New Details To Be Released In Willingham Murder Investigation

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Donald "Don" and Helen Willingham

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Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott will release the new details tomorrow (07-08-11) regarding the brutal stabbing deaths of an elderly couple this past April.

Donald "Don" and Helen Willingham, who were both 79 years-old, were found murdered inside their home on April 25th after Mrs. Willingham called 9-1-1 to report an intruder inside the couples home at 2919 W. Swan. 

Arnott will be joined by several members of the Willingham family at the 11:00 a.m. press conference at the Greene County Sheriff's Office.

There have been no arrests in the couples murder even though hundreds of pieces of evidence were collected at the crime scene.  Arnott asked the Highway Patrol Crime Lab to expedite testing from the Willingham crime scene as well as evidence collected in the disappearance of Rusty and Becky Ellsworth-Porter who went missing from their home near Willard on April 18th.
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Rusty and Becky Porter (family photo)

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The rush on testing was hampered when the lab had to switch gears to help identify victims of last month's tornado that ripped through Joplin.

In April Sheriff Arnott said it appeared the Willingham's murders were "violent and random," saying there was no sign of forced entry into the their home.  "This is one of the worst cases of my career.  It's a rough deal, not only for the family but for everyone involved." Arnott said. 

The Willigham's, who were married for 59 years, served as missionaries in Guam and Mr. Willingham was a retired Baptist minister.  "This is a wonderful couple.  From visiting with family and neighbors, this is a couple who would do anything to help anyone.  His voice breaking, Arnott said, "They dedicated their life to the Lord."

Both the Willingham and Porter families are offering rewards for information leading to the resolution of the cases.  If you have any information that could help investigators in either case you're asked to call the Greene County Sheriff's Office at (417) 868-4040, Crime Stoppers at (417) 869-TIPS (8477) or 9-1-1.

Grid Search Conducted At Porter's And Neighboring Properties:



Rusty and Becky Porter (family photo)


Searchers on horseback combed three properties and two caves in Willard today (05-04-11) in an attempt to find clues in the disappearance of Becky and Rusty Porter, who have now been missing for seventeen days. 

The grid search of 120 acres began at about 7:00 this morning included approximately 40 sheriff's deputies and civilian deputies, tracking dogs and ATV's.  Authorities also searched several vehicles in the area and at 1:00 p.m. a backhoe arrived at the site and was being used near a pond and a barn, according to Becky Porter's brother, Darrell Hufft.

Sheriff Jim Arnott told Hufft that they had received a tip that evidence related to the couple's disappearance would be found on the property.  "They left with at least one bag of stuff," Hufft said.

Porter's home in Willard (courtesy Springfield News-Leader)



Family last talked with Becky and Rusty Porter, who were at their home at 6703 State Highway HH a little after 8 p.m. on April 17th.  Becky Porter told her daughter she was sick and in bed. 

After not hearing from her mother for over a day, Becky Porter's daughter reported the couple missing after finding the couples car with the keys in the ignition and the doors to the house wide open. Inside the house were Becky's purse, cell phones, medication, shoes, and relatives say the house reeked of bleach - "the plastic runways they had to protect the hardwood floor were soaked in bleach," according to Hufft. 

Security cameras the couple had outside their home were also knocked down.

Hufft says the couple had the cameras because they lived in the country and also because Russell's uncle, Robert Campbell, who lives next door and is an over the road truck driver, had been harassing the couple over a land transfer within the family.

Campbell, his son T. C. and Rusty Porter had each filed orders of protection against each other in the last month before the couple went missing.  A consent judgment was granted to each party and they were ordered to steer clear of each other.
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Becky Porter's brother Darrell Huftt

"Everybody knows what happened, they [authorities] know what happened......they're just trying to prove it.  The sheriff told me that they've wanted this guy for twelve years but people don't show up for court or they disappear.  When you get someone else to do your dirty work, it's hard to prove."

Rusty and Becky Porter (GCSO release)

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According to Hufft, family members are beginning to crack under the intense pressure, "Some of them are fighting....it just eats at you."

At one family gathering outside the Porter's home Hufft says R.C. walked up to two of his nieces and snickered, "Their in a better place."

"He thinks he's untouchable," Hufft said.

Yesterday Arnott and relatives of the Porters announced a reward of up to $15,000 for information on their disappearance. 

On May 21st friends and family members of the Porter's will have a spaghetti supper at 5 p.m. at Crane Community Center.  Proceeds are slated to be added to the reward fund.

The department is not only dealing with the Porter's disappearance - they are also investigating the double homicide last week of an elderly couple that had been married for 52 years.

Helen Willingham called 9-1-1 at 5:44 a.m. on Monday April 25th and told an emergency dispatcher that there was a male intruder in her home who was assaulting her 79 year-old husband, Donald.
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Donald "Don and Helen Willingham

When authorities arrived at the couple's home 9 minutes later they found the couple dead from multiple stab wounds.

There have been 96 leads, but no arrests in the Wilingham's murders. Authorities have released a surveillance photo of a person of interest that they would like to talk to in the case.



Do you know this person?  Investigators would like to question him about the Willingham's murders



The family of the Willingham's have offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for their loved ones murders.

If you have any information about either of these cases you're asked to call the Greene County Sheriff's Office at 417-868-4040 or 9-1-1.

Investigators Release Porter's Home, 210 Pieces Of Evidence Collected; Couple Still Missing:

Becky and Rusty Porter

Authorities in Greene County say the have recovered over 210 items of potential evidence from the property where a couple from Willard vanished.

Family members say they last talked with Becky and Rusty Porter, who were at their home at 6703 State Highway HH Sunday evening.  The couples car was found with the keys in the ignition while doors to the couples home were left open. Inside the house were Becky's purse, cell phones, medication, shoes, and relaitives say the house reeked of bleach.

The Porter's have not been seen or heard from since about 8:15 p.m. on Sunday April 17th when Becky Porter talked to her daughter and told her she was sick and in bed.

Russell "Rusty" and Rebecca "Becky" Porter

Rebecca Hufft Ellsworth and her former husband, Dave, led Galena Assembly of God before her marriage to Rusty Porter last year.  Darrell Hufft says his "baby" (she has 10 siblings) sister has always helped other people.  "She doesn't deserve this....she always took care of people.  She called us all the time - this isn't like her."

Hufft says Rusty Porter had surgery for a brain tumor last fall.  "He was really feeble.  He had trouble picking stuff up with his right hand."

Security cameras outside the home were knocked down, according to Hufft.

Hufft says the couple had the cameras because they lived in the country and Russell's uncle, R.C. who lives next door, "Has been giving 'em some problems. Him and his son were mad because Rusty's mom gave them the farmhouse and five acres of land."

Crime Scene Tape Surrounded The Home For 3 Days (courtesy Springfield News Leader)

Hufft says thousands of fliers have been distributed and a motorcycle group has taken fliers with them to distribute in the south.  "When we got people to Kansas there were already posters of Becky and Rusty up in businesses.  It's been a nightmare...you can't sleep or eat - you just worry."

Sheriff Jim Arnott says over 750 man hours have been logged in the investigation so far.  Investigators have used blood hounds from the Ozarks Correctional Center and the Highway Patrol's helicopter to search the Porter's property and property adjacent to it.

One of the leads investigators are following came from someone who thought they saw the couple at a casino in Oklahoma, according to Hufft.

Janis McCall, who heads One Missing Link, an organization that assists law enforcement and families who have missing loved ones, has assisted in making and handing out missing person fliers detailing information on the Porters'.

McCall's daughter Stacy went missing in June of 1992 along with classmate Suzie Streeter and Suzie's mother, Sherrill Levitt.

Arnott says detectives have followed over 70 leads, and due to the amount of inquiries, their will be no additional comment at this time. "We are focusing manpower on processing leads and evidence."

Anyone with information on the Porter's disappearance is asked to call the Greene County Sheriff at 417-868-4040 - 9-1-1 or your local law enforcement agency.

UPDATE 04-23-11:

The uncle of Rusty Porter, who he allegedly had an ongoing feud with, consented to let investigators search his mobile home.  No word on what, if any, evidence was collected from R.C.'s home.

Family members of Becky and Rusty Porter will hold a vigil at Galloway Full Gospel Church on Farm Road 146 just off of West Bypass at 5 p.m. on Easter Sunday.

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COMPLETE NEWS RELEASE 04-22-11:

Press Release
In reference to Russell and Rebecca Porter;
missing persons investigation



Detectives with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office have processed the scene recovering over 210 items of potential evidence at the Porter’s residence, 6703 N. State Hwy HH in Willard. The Sheriff’s Office has utilized the assistance of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s helicopter along with blood hounds from the Ozarks Correctional Center to conduct a search of the property and the adjoining area. The Sheriff’s Office has followed up on over 70 leads and input more than 750 man hours and is continuing to conduct interviews and follow up on any information received. The Sheriff’s Office is requesting the continued exposure of the photos of Russell and Rebecca Porter. The media has assisted by putting the photos out to the public which has helped us in generating leads.
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The residence/possible crime scene was secured for 3 days while detectives recovered potential evidence, however, that scene has now been released.
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Anyone with information is asked to call the Greene County Sheriff at 417-868-4040 or your local law enforcement agency. Due to the amount of inquiries, we will not be available for additional comment at this time. We are focusing manpower on processing leads and evidence. Sheriff Arnott will be contacting the media to give updates as this investigation progresses. Thank you for helping us disseminate our information.

Greene County Authorities Asking For Help In Locating Missing Couple:

Russell Wayne and Rebecca "Becky Porter (images GCSO)

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UPDATE 3:43 p.m.--A STATEWIDE ENDANGERED PERSON ALERT HAS NOW BEEN ISSUED FOR RUSTY AND BECKY PORTER 
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Authorities in Greene County are investigating the disappearance of a couple from their home at 6703 N. State Highway HH in Willard.

Russell "Rusty" Wayne Porter, 34,  and his wife Rebecca "Becky" E. Porter, 46, were last seen Sunday night.  Detectives are waiting on a search warrant to gather evidence inside the couples home.

A family member told investigators that the doors to the couples home were unlocked and the keys to Becky Porter's car were in her vehicle.  Also left behind were Rusty Porter's shoes, Becky's purse, medications and the couple's cell phones.
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Rusty and Becky Porter's home is surrounded by crime scene tape as investigators search for clues (courtesy Springfield News Leader)

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The Porter's have not been seen or heard from since about 8:15 p.m. when Becky Porter talked to her daughter and told her she was sick and in bed.

Security cameras outside the home were knocked down and there was a strong smell of bleach inside the residence, according to Becky Porter's brother, Darrell Hufft.

Hufft says the couple had security cameras because they lived in the country and Russell's uncle, who lives next door, "Has been giving 'em some problems. Somebody obviously knew those security cameras were there because they're broke off."
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Rusty and Becky Porter

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A nephew of Russell Porter sought an order of protection against him last month.  On March 22nd a judge granted the order.  Online court records indicate that both men appeared in court on March 31st and a consent judgement was entered.  That order was served to Russell Porter on April 7th.

In March of 2010 Russell Porter pleaded guilty to domestic assault for an incident in September of 2008 and possession of a controlled substance and was placed on five years probation. 
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Russell Porter is 34 and a college student. He is 6' - 2' and weighs about 180 pounds, has blue eyes and facial hair.  Last known to be wearing blue nylon sweat pants and red or blue T-Shirt.
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Rebecca Porter works for Fantastic Caverns and is a new Grandmother.  She is 5' - 7" and weighs about140 pounds. She also has blue eyes and a tanned complexion.  Last known to be wearing pajamas or khaki pants and a yellow shirt with "Fantastic Caverns" .
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Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Greene County Sheriff at 417-868-4040 or 9-1-1.