Two US men have been charged with first-degree murder after human remains found at a south-west Missouri home were identified as a missing woman who was photographed partially nude inside a cage.
James Phelps and Timothy Norton were also charged with abandonment of a corpse after DNA tests positively identified the remains found at Mr Phelps' home near Lebanon as 33-year-old Cassidy Rainwater, Dallas County officials said.
Mr Norton's lawyer, Brenden Twibell, told the Springfield News-Leader the charges were expected and Mr Norton will plead not guilty.
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Mr Phelps' lawyer did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Mr Norton and Mr Phelps were also charged with abandoning a corpse in addition to the first-degree murder and kidnapping charges.
Mr Norton is set to appear in court next Tuesday, and Mr Phelps this Friday.
Mr Phelps and Mr Norton have been jailed on a kidnapping charge since mid-September, when photos of Ms Rainwater partially nude and in a cage were found on Mr Phelps' phone, authorities said.
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Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice said on Wednesday in a Facebook post that the seven photos also showed Ms Rainwater's body on a gantry crane, which is commonly used for deer processing, where she was disembowelled and dismembered before her body was placed in a bathtub.
Some remains were found in a freezer, he said.
Mr Rice said Mr Norton told investigators Mr Phelps asked him to help kill Ms Rainwater while she was staying at Mr Phelps' home.
He said he held Ms Rainwater down while Phelps put a plastic bag over her head and strangled her, according to Mr Rice.
Sheriff's deputies were contacted in August by a woman who said Ms Rainwater hadn't been seen since July and Mr Phelps was the last person she was seen with.
In September, Mr Phelps twice told investigators that Ms Rainwater was staying with him while she got on her feet, but he said he hadn't seen her since she left about a month ago and that she was going to Colorado, Mr Rice said.
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On September 16, the FBI provided the photos of Ms Rainwater to Dallas County detectives, who arrested Mr Phelps.
Mr Norton was arrested on Sept. 20 after speaking to authorities.
Investigators searched Mr Phelps' home for seven days and found the gantry device, cage and items in the freezer that appeared to be human remains, Mr Rice said.
Those items were dated July 24.
Digital evidence found at the scene revealed messages between Mr Phelps and Mr Norton planning Ms Rainwater's death, the sheriff said.
Some skeletal remains believed to be Ms Rainwater were located on the adjacent property, authorities said.
On October 4, a fire that investigators have ruled an arson destroyed Mr Phelps' home.
Officials investigating the fire found two explosive devices made with mortar tubes and balloon covers, with tripwires attached, near the home.
Investigators have no evidence to indicate that any other victims are associated with Mr Phelps and Mr Norton, the sheriff said.
