The Secrets of Skidmore Missouri

The Secrets of Skidmore Missouri
Lisa Montgomery is famous in a twisted way. Currently only the third woman on death row, Lisa was sentenced to death when a jury found her guilty of murdering Bobbi Jo Stinnett. The murder took place in Skidmore Missouri on December 16, 2004. Lisa Montgomery confessed to strangling Bobbi Jo Stinnett, and then cutting her unborn baby girl from her mother’s womb.

Life changed in an instant for Jeb Stinnett the father of Bobbi Jo’s baby. The young couple married on April 26, 2003. Bobbi Jo soon became pregnant, and life was good for the childhood sweethearts. The Stinnett’s, married only a year and a half, were childhood sweethearts and knew they were expecting a little girl. They had already named the baby, Victoria Jo.

Bobbi Jo was found murdered in her home by her own mother, Becky Harper. When Becky Harper called 911, she began by telling dispatchers it appeared as if her daughter’s stomach had exploded. Lisa Montgomery had cut Bobbi Jo’s pregnant belly from the top to the bottom as she removed the premature baby girl from her mother’s womb.

Bobbi Jo had not gone down with out a fight. She held handfuls of blonde hair tightly clasped in her hands. Through the DNA evidence left at the scene, and forensic evidence found by detectives on the family computer they had a good idea of who may have taken Victoria Jo. An amber alert was issued.

Both women were breeders of Rat Terriers, and both were pregnant. At some point however, Lisa miscarried. Eventually, Lisa Montgomery contacted Bobbi Jo in the chat room posing as a woman named Darlene Fischer, who was interested in purchasing one of Bobbi Jo’s Rat Terriers. Bobbi Jo gave Darlene her home address, arranging a meeting for the next day.

Sadly this would be a fatal mistake for Bobbi Jo Stinnett, a woman who trusted anyone. Bobbi Jo is one of three tragedies to befall her family within a four year period. In 2000, a cousin died after being brutally attacked by a boyfriend, who stomped her head into the ground. In addition another cousin disappeared with out a trace.

After the murder Lisa Montgomery left Skidmore and drove to Topeka Kansas, stopping at a Long John Silver’s restaurant to call her husband, Kevin, announcing she had recently given birth to their daughter. When Lisa was arrested, the knife she used to cut out the baby was in her trunk. The DNA on the knife alone positively connects Lisa to the crime.

By the way the town of Skidmore made national news several times before Bobbi Jo’s murder. In 1981, the town bully Ken Rex McElroy was shot to death while he sat in his pickup truck. There were more than 40 witnesses, yet no one could positively identify the shooter. To this day his murder remains unsolved. Do you know who pulled the trigger? The town is known for the murder of Wendy Gillenwater, who died in October 2000 after her boyfriend murdered her. He remains in prison.

Finally, the disappearance of 20-year-old Branson Perry remains unsolved. The young man disappeared from his front yard. Although he has not been found, it was thought there might be a link when in 2004 a former minister of the town, Jack Wayne Rogers went on trial for a string of pornography charges and for cutting off a man's genitals. He will serve thirty years according to the sentence handed down by the court. Authorities investigated this lead, yet no physical evidence could be found to link Rogers in Branson Perry’s disappearance. The case remains unsolved. Do you know any information to help solve the disappearance of this handsome young man?




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This content was written by Erika Lyn Smith. If you wish to use this content in any manner, you need written permission. Contact Erika Lyn Smith for details.