PARSONS, Kan. — Charges have officially been filed against two people arrested in connection to the murder of a Parsons man.
The charges are connected to the murder of 23-year-old Dakota Patton.
The Neosho County prosecutor filed first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder against 32-year-old Clint Nibarger and 47-year-old Kimberly Thomas Nibarger, both of Parsons.
The couple remains in the Taney County Jail after being arrested in Hollister yesterday evening. They’re awaiting extradition back to Neosho County.
Patton’s body was found in this rural Neosho County field yesterday (Monday) morning. He was reported missing on April 25th.
Deputies found his vehicle two days later in a field in rural Labette County with the front tires blown out. They say it appears someone towed the vehicle to that area.
Labette County Sheriff Darren Eichinger says during the investigation they learned the two suspects got married in Miami, Oklahoma, on April 26th, one day after Patton was reported missing.
“I think they believe that with being married they won’t have to testify against each other, which they can. I think it went, I know a lot of people don’t think it went quickly, but I honestly think it went pretty quickly. We need to get everything in line and in order before we even start doing arrest warrants. We want to make sure that we have all the evidence we can possibly have in order to make the arrest,” said Darren Eichinger, Labette County Sheriff.
Sheriff Eichinger says it appears Patton died from a gunshot wound — but they’re awaiting official autopsy results. He also says Patton and the suspects had known each other for several years.
Authorities continue to investigate a motive in this case.
