Prosecutors announce new charges against alleged Excelsior Springs rapist, kidnapper
Clay County prosecutors on Tuesday announced new charges in the case of Timothy M. Haslett Jr., an Excelsior Springs man accused of keeping a 22-year-old woman prisoner in his basement and raping her repeatedly over the course of several weeks.
Haslett was indicted by a grand jury Tuesday on nine charges: first-degree rape, four counts of first-degree sodomy, first-degree kidnapping, two counts of second-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child, Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said.
Eight of the counts appear to involve the same victim. According to charging documents, the final count of endangering the welfare of a child was filed after a gun was allegedly left in areas accessible to an 8 year old.
A judge set bond at $3 million.
If convicted, Haslett faces up to five life sentences plus 36 years. The next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 17.
Thompson commended efforts by area law enforcement agencies, including Excelsior Springs police, the FBI and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, as more than 100 leads have led to search warrants and investigative subpoenas. He said a collective 1,200 hours have been spent thus far on the investigation into Haslett.
“We would not be here today without the bravery of one woman, and the tireless efforts of the men and women of 16 different agencies,” Thompson said, adding: “Nevertheless, the investigation continues.”
In early October, the young woman ran to a neighbor’s house, barely clothed and wearing a metal collar around her neck, saying she managed to escape a small basement room where her captor had locked her up and tortured her. She told police she broke free that morning as the man — known to her only as “Timothy” — brought his child to school.
Haslett, 40, had been held in the Clay County jail on one count of rape, one count of first-degree kidnapping and one count of second-degree assault. The indictment Tuesday replaces the charges filed in October.
In January, the Excelsior Springs Police Department announced they were looking for a 36-year-old woman — identified as a possible witness — last known to reside in Kansas City. Her face was featured on highway billboards in the Kansas City metro.
Thompson said Tuesday that the woman is still being sought. Asked during a press conference whether the heightened publicity surrounding the search for her as a potential witness may have made her reluctant to come forward, Thompson said: “I can’t speculate on on that. I wouldn’t know.”
Tiffany Leuty, Haslett’s attorney, declined to comment.
This story was originally published February 14, 2023 at 3:16 PM.
