‘Sending those prayers out’: Excelsior Springs residents gather amid kidnapping, rape case
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Excelsior Springs, Missouri kidnapping, rape case
A woman who escaped captivity in an Excelsior Springs home had been raped repeatedly while being kept in a room designed to hold her hostage since sometime in early September, according to court documents. Timothy M. Haslett, 39, is facing kidnapping and rape charges in the case.
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As a heinous crime and massive law enforcement investigation has left many across Excelsior Springs unsettled and mystified, roughly three dozen area residents gathered at sunset Saturday under a large cross to pray and sing.
Residents assembled on the grass in a circle beside a gazebo at Siloam Mountain Park. Several kept heads bowed solemnly, raising their hands with eyes closed as they asked for the divine hand of God to heal the community, offer grace to the victim and assist law enforcement with the investigation.
“This spot historically has been a place of prayer,” said Sherie Renne, an organizer who leads a local women’s faith group, noting the massive Christian cross set atop a stone foundation, and the view overlooking the city at dusk. “And so it’s a great spot to gather together and then as you’re praying imagine sending those prayers out across the whole community.”
An investigation continued into the weekend after a victim Friday escaped from a home in the 300 block of Old Orchard Street and sought help from neighbors. The victim reported she had been kidnapped and sexually assaulted.
Timothy Haslett Jr., was charged Friday with first-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping and second-degree assault in Clay County Circuit Court.
On Saturday, police sorted through numerous items in the residence. Excelsior Springs Police Chief Greg Dull called it “a slow, painstaking process.” The investigation was ongoing “and additional charges could be forthcoming if evidence of additional crimes is uncovered,” he said.
Crime scene personnel and police officers were seen loading large bags of evidence into police vehicles as some neighbors continued to watch from their driveways, yards and from the sidewalk.
Victim escapes house Friday
The investigation started early Friday morning when the victim apparently broke free from the home screaming for neighbors to help her, police said.
“When we made contact with her, it was readily apparent that she had been held against her will for a significant period of time,” said Excelsior Springs police Lt. Ryan Dowdy.
The victim appeared malnourished.
She told police there were possibly two other victims, though police declined to say if other victims were suspected or had been located.
A cadaver dog searched the area Friday, but police have not disclosed any further information.
Dowdy said Friday evening that the victim had been transported to a hospital where she was in stable condition. She is from the Kansas City metro area and her family had gone to the hospital to be with her.
Over recent weeks, Excelsior Springs had seen its share of crime and violence — including a police shooting where a man was killed and an officer was wounded, and another fatal shooting across town that left a mother of five dead. Residents have told The Star those events have been a troubling sight for the small, suburban community.
“It’s a small town,” said Susan White, a neighbor in the area who added: “We’ve been here forever, and the past month and a half for this town has been absolutely nuts.”
This story was originally published October 8, 2022 at 9:21 PM.
