Randall Evans was convicted Friday morning of the murder of Danny Wolf in 2011 by a Worth County jury. The trial lasted four days. Jury selection took place on Tuesday while the trial took place on Wednesday and Thursday. The jury took most of the morning to consider the verdict before returning with the conviction just before noon. The case had been moved to Worth County from Gentry County on a change of venue.
Gentry County Prosecutor Jerry Biggs was the prosecutor for the case, assisted by Tim Anderson and Lauren Barnett from the Missouri Attorney General's Office. Janet Wake Larison was the attorney for the defendant. Biggs said after the trial was over that it was a just verdict and that he was sorry for the tragedy to both families. Larison's office declined to comment.
Information filed by the Gentry County Prosecutor's office alleged that Evans shot Wolf in Evans' kitchen back in 2011. The St. Joseph News-Press reported in their online edition that Biggs' case pointed to ballistics evidence, blood stains, and witness testimony that he said established the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Larison, according to the News-Press story, argued that Wolf had disappeared because of a marriage proposal that was turned down and that the blood in question may have come from processing deer. The body of Mr. Wolf was never found.
The case was the first murder trial in Worth County since 1990. Security was tight at the trial, with the east entrance of the Courthouse blocked off. All persons going to the second floor of the Courthouse were required to undergo a security scan before going upstairs during the trial. Security was tight at the 1990 murder trial as well. Security measures for jury trials are decided on a case by case basis.
Sentencing for Mr. Evans has been set for November 7th.
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