UPDATE: Charges have officially been filed….the first suspect is identified as William Lucas of Kaiser. He’s charged with accessory to murder in the first-degree, accessory to armed criminal action, and conspiracy in abandonment of a corpse. Also charged is Christopher English of Eldon — first-degree murder, armed criminal action, abandonment of a corpse. The third suspect has been identified as Daniel Cole of Montreal.
At least two people have, reportedly, now been charged in connection to the fatal shooting of a 41-year-old Columbia man who was reported missing about a month ago and whose body was discovered on Thursday in a wooded area near Brumley. A press release issued Friday by the Miller County Sheriff’s Department identified the victim as Aaron Brantley. The search for Brantley was, apparently, focused in an area off of D-Road. Although the suspects have not been identified, it is known that a 41-year-old male from Osage Beach is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse. A second male subject, a 52-year-old from Kaiser, is also believed to be charged in connection to the murder. Although the investigation is described as ongoing, more details are expected to be released on Monday.
The following is a press release issued (5:42pm, 03/08/2019) by the Miller County Sheriff’s Department: brantley release