Man Is Accused Of Killing Missing Woman Sought As Witness In Torture 'Dungeon' Case

A Missouri man accused of torturing a woman he kept locked in his basement “dungeon” is now alsocharged with killing another woman who was a potential witness in the kidnapping investigation, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday.

Timothy Haslett Jr., 41, was indicted on a count of first-degree murder in the death of Jaynie Crosdale, 36, a woman from Excelsior Springs whose body was found inside a blue barrel in the Missouri River, Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said at a news conference on Tuesday.

Haslett had previously been charged with nine felonies, including rape, kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child, according to court records reviewed by HuffPost.

The case began in October 2022 when an unnamed woman escaped from Haslett’s home and sought help at a nearby house, according to an arrest warrant obtained by HuffPost. Police said she was dressed in a trash bag and had a metal collar with a padlock and duct tape around her neck.

The woman said she had been held hostage at a nearby home since September, according to the warrant.

The woman told police she first encountered Haslett in September while she was walking in Kansas City, Missouri, and he was driving a four-door pickup, according to the warrant. Haslett allegedly offered her $350 to go back to his home, but on the way there he pulled out a gun and sexually assaulted her.

Police in Excelsior Springs, northeast of Kansas City, said the woman was forced to take a narcotic and fell asleep, according to the arrest warrant. When she woke up, Haslett had allegedly taken her cellphones and kept her restrained in a secured room in the basement.

In the warrant, police referred to this room as a “dungeon.”

The woman