Three individuals now face murder, robbery and kidnapping charges in the case of a missing Kansas man found dead Saturday in New Madrid County cotton field.
Ronnie Carl Robinson, 49, and Elsie M. Coleman Hamilton, 40, of North Little Rock, Ark.; and Larenzle M. Coleman, 35, of Oakfield, Tenn., are each charged with felony first degree murder, robbery, kidnapping and tampering in the disappearance of Lawrence “Larry” Weaver of Pittsburg, Kan., according to the Sikeston Department of Public Safety and the Southeast Missouri Major Case.
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Weaver arrived in Sikeston at about 8 p.m. June 26.
“After he arrived, he contacted his wife and relayed to her he was OK and was planning on leaving Sikeston the next morning to return to his home in Pittsburg,” said Sikeston DPS Director Drew Juden.
On the morning of June 27 Weaver’s hotel room door was found ajar and opened slightly by the cleaning crew but no report was made to local authorities.
About 6:30 a.m. June 28 the Pittsburg Police Department contacted the Sikeston Department of Public Safety and asked that DPS officers go check the Days Inn for Weaver.
“Upon checking Mr. Weaver’s room and finding that he was not there and his motorcycle was missing, Sikeston DPS detectives and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators started investigating a missing person and the missing motorcycle,” Juden said.
During the investigation, surveillance video was gathered from several businesses in the area. The surveillance video showed a dark-colored Chevrolet Avalanche pulling a single-axel trailer into the parking lot about 2:40 a.m. June 27. This same vehicle was seen leaving the parking lot at a high rate of speed approximately 14 minutes later, Juden said.
Officers located a delivery driver who was making deliveries in the area just north of the hotel who also reported seeing the truck and trailer leaving at a high rate of speed.
As the investigation started to unfold, witnesses came forward reporting that Larenzle Coleman was attempting to sell a motorcycle to individuals located in Howardville. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle that was possibly involved in this incident was located in Charleston, Juden said.
“A walk around of the vehicle by investigators plainly showed visible blood evidence, and at that time, a search warrant was obtained for the vehicle which was parked at Larenzle Coleman’s mother’s residence in Charleston,” Juden said.
A photograph of the Chevrolet Avalanche was shown to a witness and he positively identified it as the vehicle used to haul the motorcycle to Howardville. This vehicle was registered to Elsie Coleman.
On Saturday, after intensive searching and investigating, a helicopter search of an area just southwest of Sikeston located Weaver’s body in a cotton field, according to Juden.
At this time, investigators recovered Weaver’s body and released it to the New Madrid County coroner for an autopsy to be performed.
On Tuesday, an autopsy was performed on Weaver by Dr. Russell Deidiker, who noted Weaver’s body had significant trauma to the head as well as several fractured ribs and other injuries consistent with a severe beating, Juden said.
“It was determined that Mr. Weaver died at the hands of others and his death was classified a homicide,” Juden said.
On Wednesday, a probable cause affidavit was submitted to the New Madrid County Prosecuting Attorney’s office to file the charges of murder, robbery, kidnapping and tampering against Robinson, Elsie Coleman and Larenzle Coleman. They are in custody and being held in lieu of $250,000 cash only bond.
Juden commended local and state law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation and the New Madrid County Prosecutor’s office.
“It was truly a team effort by many agencies in Southeast Missouri that led to the successful conclusion and arrests in this case,” Juden said. “Many agencies participated with manpower as well as providing information to assist Sikeston DPS and the Missouri State Highway Patrol in bringing this case to a close.”
Juden also extended condolences to the Weaver family.
“They’ve suffered a tragic loss in the loss in the Mr. Larry Weaver,” Juden said. “Mr. Larry Weaver was a very well thought of individual in his community of Pittsburg, Kan. Mr. Weaver was a loving husband, father and grandfather.”
Should anyone have any information as it relates to this case, contact Sikeston DPS at (573)471-4711 or the local law enforcement agency who can forward that information to them.
