Charges filed against alleged burglar
May 13, 2015
Charlea Mills
The man arrested in connection with multiple Barry County burglaries now has official charges against him.
Tommy Eugene Thornton, 43, of Exeter, was arrested on Tuesday, May 5, in the morning, and charges were filed against him on Wednesday, May 6.Thornton faces two counts of burglary in the second degree, two counts of property damage in the second degree and one county of theft/stealing. More charges may be filed once fingerprint and DNA evidence comes back from the crime lab, according to Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly.
Currently, Thornton is charged with a burglary at the Sunrise Cafe in Monett and MO-ARK Livestock Auction in Exeter. According to affidavits of probable cause, Thornton broke the glass out of two windows in the front of Sunrise Cafe on State Highway 37 and stole between $250 and $500 in cash on April 3.
Then, on April 21, Thornton gained entry to MO-ARK’s livestock barn and broke a glass door between the cafe and the auction ring. Security footage at both Sunrise and MO-ARK showed the burglar.
The Barry County Sheriff’s Department posted a still image captured form MO-ARK’s security camera on Facebook on April 29 and 30. According to the probable cause, the Sheriff’s Department received several messages stating that it was Thornton in the photos.
Then, on Tuesday, May 5, Exeter Police Chief Morgan Struble pulled Thornton over for a routine traffic stop when he recognized him as the suspect from the burglaries. Stuble placed him on a 24-hour hold until investigators with the Sheriff’s Department could question him and press charges. When Thornton was arrested, he also appeared to be wearing the same shoes as in the security camera footage.
According to Epperly, more charges could be filed against Thornton once evidence from other burglaries is processed by the crime lab. Other unsolved burglaries in the last month included Papa Vape’s in Cassville, Cassville Hardware, Cassville Discount Grocery, Benny’s Auto Repair in Washburn, Country Cooking in Washburn, and Burchfield Tax Service in Cassville.
Thornton is currently being held in the Barry County Jail in lieu of $40,000 bond. Thornton is also on parole in Missouri and Texas for commercial and residential burglaries.
Charlea Mills
The man arrested in connection with multiple Barry County burglaries now has official charges against him.
Tommy Eugene Thornton, 43, of Exeter, was arrested on Tuesday, May 5, in the morning, and charges were filed against him on Wednesday, May 6.Thornton faces two counts of burglary in the second degree, two counts of property damage in the second degree and one county of theft/stealing. More charges may be filed once fingerprint and DNA evidence comes back from the crime lab, according to Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly.
Currently, Thornton is charged with a burglary at the Sunrise Cafe in Monett and MO-ARK Livestock Auction in Exeter. According to affidavits of probable cause, Thornton broke the glass out of two windows in the front of Sunrise Cafe on State Highway 37 and stole between $250 and $500 in cash on April 3.
Then, on April 21, Thornton gained entry to MO-ARK’s livestock barn and broke a glass door between the cafe and the auction ring. Security footage at both Sunrise and MO-ARK showed the burglar.
The Barry County Sheriff’s Department posted a still image captured form MO-ARK’s security camera on Facebook on April 29 and 30. According to the probable cause, the Sheriff’s Department received several messages stating that it was Thornton in the photos.
Then, on Tuesday, May 5, Exeter Police Chief Morgan Struble pulled Thornton over for a routine traffic stop when he recognized him as the suspect from the burglaries. Stuble placed him on a 24-hour hold until investigators with the Sheriff’s Department could question him and press charges. When Thornton was arrested, he also appeared to be wearing the same shoes as in the security camera footage.
According to Epperly, more charges could be filed against Thornton once evidence from other burglaries is processed by the crime lab. Other unsolved burglaries in the last month included Papa Vape’s in Cassville, Cassville Hardware, Cassville Discount Grocery, Benny’s Auto Repair in Washburn, Country Cooking in Washburn, and Burchfield Tax Service in Cassville.
Thornton is currently being held in the Barry County Jail in lieu of $40,000 bond. Thornton is also on parole in Missouri and Texas for commercial and residential burglaries.
