Sixth suspect arrested in family sexual assault case
One of the arrested is a Columbia resident.
Published Nov. 13, 2009
A sixth suspect was arrested Thursday night by the Missouri State Highway Patrol in connection to the Mohler family child sexual abuse case, a Missouri State Highway Patrol news release from Thursday night stated.
The six suspects, including one Columbia resident, were arrested for sex crimes perpetrated against children, another Highway Patrol release stated.
The arrests were the result of a multi-jurisdictional investigation initiated by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department, the news release stated.
Burrell Edward Mohler Sr., 77, and his four adult sons allegedly committed the crimes from the mid '80s to late '90s, Missouri Highway Patrol Cpl. Bill Lowe said.
According to the news release, suspects in the case range in age from 47 to 77.
The sixth suspect, who was arrested Thursday night, is identified as Larry Kidd, 55, of Kansas City, Thursday's news release stated. Kidd was arrested for rape of a child less than 14 years old. According to the release, Kidd was identified as an associate of the Mohler family and was apprehended without incident in Jackson County.
Jared L. Mohler, 48, of Columbia, was arrested for one count of forcible rape with a child less than 12 years old by use of forcible compulsion, one count of forcible sodomy and two counts of the use of a child in a sexual performance, the news release stated.
The Columbia Police Department had an investigator go to Mohler's residence and helped serve the search warrant, CPD spokeswoman Jessie Haden said.
Haden also said Mohler's only previous contact with CPD had been when he was involved in a couple minor traffic accidents several years ago.
Lowe said at this time, six victims have come forward, but investigators think more victims might contact investigators.
"That's what the hope is," he said. "When we had the press conference, we were requesting that any victims or witnesses come forward."
Lowe also said as part of the ongoing investigation, police are searching for evidence on a property formerly owned and occupied by two of the suspects.
"We've been given information about possible bodies," Lowe said.
Investigators are trying to determine the validity of that claim.
Police are also searching for glass jars, which might contain letters written by the victims. Lowe said victims told investigators they hid the accounts of the abuse in glass jars during the time their family members were allegedly molesting them.
The suspects haven't lived on the land for approximately 10 years, Lowe said. The owners are cooperating with authorities.
The Lafayette County Sheriff's Department began investigating the case in mid-August. Lowe said the detective working the case asked Highway Patrol for assistance.
According to the news release, members of the Rural Missouri Major Case Squad including the Jackson, Johnson and Pettis sheriff's departments and the Odessa, Higginsville, Warrensburg and Sedalia police departments are working on the case. The Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force is also assisting in the investigation.
The suspects are being held in the Lafayette County Jail on bond, the news release stated.
6:34 p.m., Nov. 13, 2009
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