Liberty man accused of fatally stabbing mother, shooting at father: court records
A 20-year-old Liberty man is accused of murdering his mother and attempting to shoot his father in the head in the residence they shared.
Austin M. Little was charged in Clay County Circuit Court with second-degree murder and armed criminal action after his mother, 46-year-old Jill Little, was found dead in their home late Friday night. He is being held in Clay County jail on a $1 million bond.
Police were dispatched just before midnight on Friday to the 400 block of Glendale Road in Liberty after Jill Little’s husband called police saying his wife was hurt in the master bedroom. She was declared dead at the scene, according to court records.
In interviews with police, the man said he was working late and had missed calls from his wife around 10:40 p.m. He tried calling her back three times but could not get through.
When he arrived home, the door leading to the kitchen from the garage was locked along with all of the other exterior doors. He was walking toward the entryway from the kitchen to the living room when his son, Austin Little, came up the stairs carrying a high-powered pellet rifle. Austin Little then allegedly pointed the rifle toward his father’s head and fired.
The round missed, striking the ceiling. The man ran across the street to a neighbor’s house and was followed out by his son. He told police he saw Austin Little place the pellet rifle and a hammer inside a silver Ford Taurus in the driveway before unsuccessfully attempting to start the car, court records state.
After alerting his neighbor, the husband ran back to his house to check on his wife as Austin Little was seen walking south on Glendale. He discovered his wife lying on the floor of the master bedroom.
Arriving police also went inside the house to check on Jill Little, and she was found dead, according to court records. She had multiple stab wounds to her chest and neck, and a puncture wound to her face.
Officers with the Claycomo Police Department found Austin Little, covered in blood on the right side of his body, less than a half mile away from the crime scene. Police ordered him to the ground at gunpoint, court records said, and tased him twice as he allegedly resisted arrest.
Austin Little then “began to actively fight with officers,” who fought back with him until Clay County deputies arrived and he was taken into police custody, according to court records.
Austin Little was first taken to Liberty Hospital, was cleared to leave by medical staff and was taken to the Liberty Police Department for holding. Police noted in court papers he was injured during the struggle with law enforcement and alleged he may have also been hurt “when he murdered” his mother, court records state.
Austin Little declined to be interviewed by police without an attorney present, court records state. As of Monday, court records did not list an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
