A Dallas County, Missouri, judge sentenced a second man to life in prison after pleading guilty to the first-degree murder of Cassidy Rainwater, whose remains were found in a home after she was photographed while partially clothed in a cage.
Timothy Norton was sentenced Tuesday, and as part of his plea deal, charges of abandonment of a corpse and kidnapping were dropped.
A second man, James Phelps, entered an Alford plea in April, acknowledging there was enough evidence to convict him of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and abandonment of a corpse, without admitting guilt.
Both men were accused of killing Rainwater, 33, in September 2021 after DNA analysis of the remains found at Phelps’ home identified her as the victim.
MISSOURI MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR DEATH OF CAGED AND DISMEMBERED WOMAN
Timothy Norton, left, and James Phelps (Dallas County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office)
The FBI provided investigators photos on Sept. 16, which showed Rainwater’s body bound to a gantry crane, which is primarily used for processing deer. The photos also showed her “evisceration and dismemberment,” the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department said in a social media post at the time.
Rainwater’s remains were found in a freezer with “7-24” written on them, as well as on an adjacent property.
Digital evidence recovered during the investigation showed Phelps and Norton planned Rainwater’s death, the Sheriff’s Office said.
A woman who first reported Rainwater missing on Aug. 25, 2021, told law enforcement officials Rainwater was last seen with Phelps in July 2021.
MISSOURI WOMAN PHOTOGRAPHED PARTIALLY CLOTHED IN CAGE BEFORE BEING DISMEMBERED, AUTHORITIES SAY
Cassidy Rainwater (Dallas County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office)
When questioned, Phelps told investigators Rainwater stayed with him until she could get on her feet, adding she was going to Chicago.
A month before she disappeared, Phelps said, Rainwater met a person in a vehicle at the end of his driveway in the middle of the night.
Norton told FBI agents Rainwater was sleeping when he visited Phelps. The sheriff said Norton held her legs down while Phelps strangled her and placed a plastic bag over her head.
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The two men then took Rainwater’s dead body outside, hung her from the gantry crane and dismembered her body, Norton allegedly told investigators.
After Tuesday’s sentencing, Norton told local station KYTV he deserved to die. He also reportedly said he and Phelps believed Rainwater stole items from them, and they wanted their items back. Then, things went “sideways” at Phelps’ home, he added.
Phelps’s home was destroyed by a fire Oct. 4, which was ruled an arson.
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Fire investigators reported that two explosive devices made with mortar tubes and balloon covers with trip wires attached, were found near the home.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
