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LAFAYETTE COUNTY, Mo. -
New allegations of murder have added to the shock and horror of the Mohler family sex investigation in Lafayette County, Mo. Three victims have now alleged in a search warrant that Burrel Mohler Jr. forced them to help commit murder in April 1988.
Search warrants detail kidnapping and murder
In search warrants obtained on Tuesday, the victims said they were forced to help their father, Burrel Mohler Jr., murder a man they kidnapped from Independence Center in April 1988. The victims said Mohler Jr. followed a man to his home and instructed one of the girls to get out of the car and tell the man her father was having a heart attack and needed help. After the man was lured to their car, Mohler Jr. allegedly attacked him by placing his hands around the man's neck. The victims said Mohler Jr. then blindfolded the girls and drove to Mohler Sr.'s farm in Lafayette County. One of the girls said she peeked through her blindfold and recognized Mohler Sr.'s A-frame house.
The victims said Mohler Jr. then gave the girls knives and told them that when he let the man go they were to attack and kill him or Mohler Jr. would kill the girls. One of the girls said after the man was freed, she attacked him and tried to choke him with her arm, but he threw her off. After a struggle the girls and Mohler Jr. stabbed the man, killing him. The victim then said that Mohler Jr. then propped the body of the man against a tree and told the girls to stab the man in the face. According to the search warrant, Mohler Jr. then instructed the girls dig a grave and bury the body on the property.
Evidence found at Mohler family farm
After a two-day search on the Mohler family farm, police uncovered a portion of a credit, the sole of a boot or shoe, an unknown type of bone, eye glasses and broken glass.
Held captive in basement
In an affidavit also obtained on Tuesday, another alleged victim came forward after press coverage of the Mohler investigation, saying she was held captive at the farmhouse in Lafayette County and was abused by five of the defendants. She said she became pregnant twice and that after the birth of her first child, Mohler Sr. and Mohler Jr. buried the infant in a box under the basement dirt floor that was later covered with concrete. On Nov. 11, investigators were able to locate a shape, consistent with the shape of a box, using ground-penetrating radar.
This woman's account is similar to another victim's memory of seeing a child confined to the cellar of the home in Lafayette County that did not live with the rest of the family and was forced to live in a crawl space.
Back in court
On Tuesday, five of the Mohler family men returned to court for a scheduled review hearing and to hear new charges from another victim who has come forward. Burrel Mohler Sr., 77, and his four sons appeared individually before a judge to hear the new charges. Fifteen additional charges were added on Monday after another alleged victim came forward with more sexual allegations. Prosecutors said even more charges could be added as the investigation continues.
Dozens of family members attended the court hearing, saying the allegations against the men have been fabricated.
It is yet to be determined if bond will be set for the men. The only Mohler man who has hired an attorney is David Mohler. His next court appearance will be Dec. 2. The other Mohler men said they hope to hire attorneys Tuesday afternoon. Currently, the next court appearance for the other four Mohler men is set for Dec. 3.
Sixth Mohler man arrested
The brother of Burrel Mohler Sr., was also arrested in Silver Springs Fla., on Friday, Nov. 13. Darrel Mohler, 72, has also been charged with sex crimes against the Mohler family children. He remains in Florida but has waived his right to extradition. On Monday, FOX 4 Kathy Quinn spoke to his son who defended his father, claiming he is innocent. Read the story here.
Search warrants detail kidnapping and murder
In search warrants obtained on Tuesday, the victims said they were forced to help their father, Burrel Mohler Jr., murder a man they kidnapped from Independence Center in April 1988. The victims said Mohler Jr. followed a man to his home and instructed one of the girls to get out of the car and tell the man her father was having a heart attack and needed help. After the man was lured to their car, Mohler Jr. allegedly attacked him by placing his hands around the man's neck. The victims said Mohler Jr. then blindfolded the girls and drove to Mohler Sr.'s farm in Lafayette County. One of the girls said she peeked through her blindfold and recognized Mohler Sr.'s A-frame house.
The victims said Mohler Jr. then gave the girls knives and told them that when he let the man go they were to attack and kill him or Mohler Jr. would kill the girls. One of the girls said after the man was freed, she attacked him and tried to choke him with her arm, but he threw her off. After a struggle the girls and Mohler Jr. stabbed the man, killing him. The victim then said that Mohler Jr. then propped the body of the man against a tree and told the girls to stab the man in the face. According to the search warrant, Mohler Jr. then instructed the girls dig a grave and bury the body on the property.
Evidence found at Mohler family farm
After a two-day search on the Mohler family farm, police uncovered a portion of a credit, the sole of a boot or shoe, an unknown type of bone, eye glasses and broken glass.
Held captive in basement
In an affidavit also obtained on Tuesday, another alleged victim came forward after press coverage of the Mohler investigation, saying she was held captive at the farmhouse in Lafayette County and was abused by five of the defendants. She said she became pregnant twice and that after the birth of her first child, Mohler Sr. and Mohler Jr. buried the infant in a box under the basement dirt floor that was later covered with concrete. On Nov. 11, investigators were able to locate a shape, consistent with the shape of a box, using ground-penetrating radar.
This woman's account is similar to another victim's memory of seeing a child confined to the cellar of the home in Lafayette County that did not live with the rest of the family and was forced to live in a crawl space.
Back in court
On Tuesday, five of the Mohler family men returned to court for a scheduled review hearing and to hear new charges from another victim who has come forward. Burrel Mohler Sr., 77, and his four sons appeared individually before a judge to hear the new charges. Fifteen additional charges were added on Monday after another alleged victim came forward with more sexual allegations. Prosecutors said even more charges could be added as the investigation continues.
Dozens of family members attended the court hearing, saying the allegations against the men have been fabricated.
It is yet to be determined if bond will be set for the men. The only Mohler man who has hired an attorney is David Mohler. His next court appearance will be Dec. 2. The other Mohler men said they hope to hire attorneys Tuesday afternoon. Currently, the next court appearance for the other four Mohler men is set for Dec. 3.
Sixth Mohler man arrested
The brother of Burrel Mohler Sr., was also arrested in Silver Springs Fla., on Friday, Nov. 13. Darrel Mohler, 72, has also been charged with sex crimes against the Mohler family children. He remains in Florida but has waived his right to extradition. On Monday, FOX 4 Kathy Quinn spoke to his son who defended his father, claiming he is innocent. Read the story here.
