The Jasper County Prosecutors Office has charged a Reeds man with four felonies in connection with the shooting deaths of two people in a home in Avilla on Sunday.
The Sheriff’s Office identified the victims as Mason McClure, 34, of the home at 255 Greenfield St., Avilla, and Nicole Hodges, 34, Joplin.
The Sheriff’s Office said a preliminary autopsy report issued on Monday showed that both victims died of multiple gunshot wounds.
The suspect, Kevin C. Johnson, 24, Reeds, is being held without bond in the Jasper County Detention Center in Carthage on four felony charges, two counts of first degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action.
The Jasper County Sheriff Chief Deputy Derek Walrod announced on Monday that Johnson was arrested around 4:30 a.m. on Monday in Reeds as a suspect in the deaths of McClure and Hodges in the home at 255 Greenfield St., in Avilla.
Also on Monday, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office said the deaths in Avilla and the death of Brylee O’Banion, 25, who was found in a ditch in the area of State Line Road and Angus Drive are believed to be related, but there were no details on how they might be related or whether Johnson was a suspect in O’Banion’s murder.
Probable cause
A probable cause affidavit, filed by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office in support of the charges filed against Johnson, describes what investigators know about the series of events in two counties over the weekend.
The investigators say the two victims were located in the home and they located five 9mm shell casings, leading to the belief that the victims were shot to death.
Investigators said they uncovered information that led them to Johnson and took him in custody for questioning.
“After being advised of his Miranda warning, Johnson admitted to going to 255 Greenfield Street in Avilla on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021 to see his girlfriend, Brylee O’Banion,” the affidavit said. “When he arrived, he was told by Mason McClure that McClure and Hodges had killed O’Banion. At this time, Johnson stated he was asked to go to the garage to help McClure with something. Johnson drew a firearm he had taken from his father’s residence and started shooting. McClure was shot in the back and Hodges fell away bleeding.”
The affidavit says Johnson told a detective with the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team that he was getting ready to flee the state.
Timeline
Newton County Sheriff Chris Jennings said in a written release issued on Monday that deputies responded to State Line Road and Angus Drive at 4:10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, to the report of a possible body in the ditch on the east side of the road.
Jennings said deputies located the body and identified the remains as O’Banion.
“An autopsy is scheduled to determine the exact cause of death,” Jennings said. “Our investigation in tracking the last known whereabouts of the victim led us to Jasper County. Two individuals of interest were being sought by Newton County Detectives for questioning after information was received that they had recently been with the victim. At this point Jasper County Deputies also became involved.
“A double homicide was discovered in Jasper County at this time. Deputies from both agencies believe the homicides are connected. The investigations are continuing with both Newton and Jasper County Deputies working together.”
On Sunday, Feb. 21, Jasper County Sheriff Randee Kaiser said deputies were called to 255 Greenfield St., Avilla, at about 5:30 p.m. after a man and a woman were found dead in that home.
“There are no other suspects being sought at this time,” the written release from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office said. “This incident appears to be related to the homicide that occurred in Newton County on 02-20-21. Investigation into these incidents continues.”
