Three weeks into a massive criminal investigation that's drawn viral attention, the southwest Missouri sheriff leading the probe went on a rant Thursday night.
On his department's Facebook page, Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice took aim at "Fake News," social media and people who he said are too impatient and entitled to wait for the justice system to work.
"There is a lot of misinformation and rumors regarding the Cassidy Rainwater case being circulated across social media and various news platforms," Rice wrote in a 7:35 p.m. post. "While I understand the impatience and curiosity of the people, I'm going to give you a piece of advice.
"It is not a good idea to listen to 'a crime reporter/blogger' or Tic Tok (sic) videos that is sitting in their apartment or their mommy and daddy's basement eating Great Value cheese puffs and drinking box wine with grand intentions of being a social media superstar."
As he criticized the "crap" posted on social media about the case, he dropped the first tidbits of news that have been released in days.
"I can tell you we have all parties involved with Cassidy Rainwater's case in jail," he said, "and we expect additional charges to be filed in the coming days."
Rainwater, 33, was officially reported missing to the Dallas County Sheriff's Office in late August. In mid-September, the FBI's Kansas City office received an anonymous tip from a person who shared photos, including one of what appeared to be Rainwater's partially nude body inside a cage.
The tip prompted an investigation that led to charges filed against James Phelps, 58, who lives in a rural area near Windyville, and Timothy Norton, 56. Both are accused of kidnapping Rainwater and facilitating a felony, inflicting injury and terrorizing.
Authorities arrested Phelps on Sept. 16 after seizing his cellphone and discovering seven photos of a partially-nude Rainwater being kept inside a cage, according to court records.
The case is drawing national attention, with more speculation than facts about what happened to Rainwater.
Since the case began, The Star has not reported the salacious rumors and stories circulating about the case and what may have unfolded inside Phelps' rural Ozarks cabin on Moon Valley Road. Yet one blog, chock-full of gruesome details about what anonymous sources reportedly said happened to Rainwater, has been shared from the writer's Facebook page more than 7,000 times.
"We are working in the real-world and this is an active ongoing investigation," Rice said. "When all members of the prosecution team believe that it is appropriate to release information, we will keep you informed.
"... This isn't a tv series or movie where we go to commercial break and have lab results in 15 minutes. Searching a crime scene for 7 days 24 hours a day takes that long, 168 hours. 99.999999% of what has been posted to social media is CRAP."
Within three hours of Rice's post, more than 300 people had responded, and it was shared nearly 500 times. By Friday morning, it had been shared 627 times with 432 commenting. Many defended him, others not so much.
"Amen, brother!" one woman wrote. "You preach it!"
A man from Windyville wrote: "Now that sounds like a man speaking the truth. I like that. Straight forward."
Added another: "I agree with his general context, but threatening people and the off-colored comments? Very unnecessary."
Yet another agreed with the sheriff, but said "I think that being in his position, you have to word things carefully as to not put people down or belittle them...you can get your point across without that..set an example to the public with your words..and, if you feel they are being ridiculous believing things said on social media, don't sink to their levels with the phrases and words you use to convey that message."
Others criticized the investigation, and one said that "the citizens of Dallas County have a right to know some truth. If there is more arrests to come or additional charges that means that people are not SAFE in your county!!"
Rice said that authorities "must play within the rules of the American Criminal Justice System."
"While the system has its faults, it's still the best system in the world," he wrote. "We are judged by a jury of our peers with a Judge presiding over the case, a Prosecutor who presents the case, and a Defense attorney who defends their client.
"This is where ALL facts of the case come out, not Tic Tok (sic), Facebook, or any other social media outlet. NO, you are not entitled to a play by play of an ongoing investigation. If you want to be in the know, we are hiring along with every other law enforcement agency in the country."
Rice warned people if they're not residents of the area, but are planning a trip to "our Beautiful County," they may want to keep a few things in mind.
"While the citizens of Dallas County are friendly, neighborly, caring, and kind people, we do not like those who show up to trespass, litter, vandalize, harass, or destroy property," the sheriff said in his post. "If this is your intention, you are not welcome here and we will prosecute you for this."
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