Trending...
- Springfield: City planners to host workshops with center city registered neighborhoods - 201
- Springfield: City planners to host workshops with center city registered neighborhoods - 175
- Springfield: Bicyclist hit by vehicle, killed
Springfield, Mo. ~ On April 17, 2025, the Springfield Police Department made a major breakthrough in a decades-old cold case. Paul E. Bowles, 62, from Fulton, was arrested in connection to the 1989 rape and murder of Jennifer Williams, 18, from Springfield.
The case dates back to September 8, 1989 when Williams left work and was dropped off at her home on N. Kansas Expressway. She had told a friend that she was going to walk to her husband's business but never arrived. Her husband reported her missing three days later.
Ten days after her disappearance, Williams' body was discovered by three juveniles walking in the 700 block of W. Chestnut Street. Evidence found at the scene indicated that she had been sexually assaulted at the time of her murder.
Despite efforts to solve the case over the years, it wasn't until 2019 that a breakthrough came through the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. Williams' sexual assault kit was tested and revealed DNA evidence from an unknown man. However, it was not enough for database searches at the time.
More on Missouriar
Thanks to new advances in DNA testing in 2024 and funding provided by Season of Justice, Williams' sexual assault kit was tested again and this time it identified Bowles as the suspect.
At the time of his arrest, Bowles was already being held at Fulton State Hospital on unrelated charges in Callaway County, Missouri. Springfield Police detectives contacted him there and on April 17th he was booked into Calloway County Jail for second degree murder, forcible rape and forcible sodomy in relation to this case.
The investigation is still ongoing and detectives are urging anyone with information about this incident to come forward by contacting the Springfield Police Department or making an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers. This long-awaited arrest brings some closure for Jennifer Williams' family and friends after more than three decades of uncertainty surrounding her tragic death.
The case dates back to September 8, 1989 when Williams left work and was dropped off at her home on N. Kansas Expressway. She had told a friend that she was going to walk to her husband's business but never arrived. Her husband reported her missing three days later.
Ten days after her disappearance, Williams' body was discovered by three juveniles walking in the 700 block of W. Chestnut Street. Evidence found at the scene indicated that she had been sexually assaulted at the time of her murder.
Despite efforts to solve the case over the years, it wasn't until 2019 that a breakthrough came through the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. Williams' sexual assault kit was tested and revealed DNA evidence from an unknown man. However, it was not enough for database searches at the time.
More on Missouriar
- San Antonio Buyer Secures 2.375% Mortgage in 2025-Broker Reveals the Mistake Costing Buyers Thousands
- Heritage at South Brunswick Grand Opening Success!
- Springfield: Application Deadline Approaching for Green for Greene Environmental Job Training
- Columbia: State of the City address scheduled for May 23
- Columbia Police respond to fatal crash in the 1200 block of Business Loop 70 West
Thanks to new advances in DNA testing in 2024 and funding provided by Season of Justice, Williams' sexual assault kit was tested again and this time it identified Bowles as the suspect.
At the time of his arrest, Bowles was already being held at Fulton State Hospital on unrelated charges in Callaway County, Missouri. Springfield Police detectives contacted him there and on April 17th he was booked into Calloway County Jail for second degree murder, forcible rape and forcible sodomy in relation to this case.
The investigation is still ongoing and detectives are urging anyone with information about this incident to come forward by contacting the Springfield Police Department or making an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers. This long-awaited arrest brings some closure for Jennifer Williams' family and friends after more than three decades of uncertainty surrounding her tragic death.
0 Comments
Latest on Missouriar
- Springfield: City to continue no-cost organic storm debris drop-off thru May 31 during regular hours of operation
- Springfield: City to continue no-cost organic storm debris drop-off thru May 31 during regular hours of operation
- Kansas: How to prepare for summer storm season and potential flooding
- Award-winning NJ Author Celebrates New Release and Multi-Author Collaboration
- Therapy 911 Launches Mental Health Social Network to Celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month
- Bosco's Beach Launches Vacation Rentals in Panama City Beach, Florida
- $7.8M Financing Boosts NRx's Expansion with Kadima Institute Acquisition for PTSD and Depression Care: NRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Stock Symbol: NRXP)
- One Park Financial Once Again Honored with Sun Sentinel's Top Workplaces Award for the 8th Time — Achieves Best Ranking Yet in 2025
- David Cameron selected as Springfield, Missouri City Manager
- Cycurion Wins $33M Cybersecurity Contract for State Colleges, Also $6M from Transportation Agency: Cycurion, Inc. (Stock Symbol: CYCU) is Undervalued
- Novel 'We Won't Go Back' Published; Addresses Women's Issues
- Call for Papers Deadline Approaching – Don't Miss Your Shot to Speak at the OpenSSL Conference 2025!
- Update: Columbia Police arrest second juvenile suspect in armed robbery
- Urge Microsoft to Continue Grant Program for Nonprofits
- Columbia Police arrest juvenile suspect in armed robbery
- The ROS1ders Announces Recipients of 2024 ROS1+ Cancer Innovation Awards
- The Podcast "Financial Freedom with Tom Hegna" will Feature an Interview with Parker Faulkner
- David Cameron selected as Springfield, Missouri City Manager
- AUACOM Signs a Statement of Shared Interest with BMCC
- David Cameron selected as Springfield, Missouri City Manager