Joplin Honky receives seven years for assault, abandoning a corpse

Jared Prier, a member of the Joplin Honkies gang, was sentenced to seven years in prison for assault and four years for abandoning a corpse with the sentences to run concurrently.

Prier had initially blamed the shooting on the man whose corpse he dumped on a driveway near Diamond.



The information was spelled out in the probable cause affidavit from Newton County Detective T. Spencer:

Jennifer Miller stated to this detective that she, Thomas Webb, Jared Prier, and two other subjects (Jennifer did not want to identify) were partying at Steven Severs' house at 3689 Cherry Road the night of August 17, 2014.

Jennifer stated that she was sitting on the couch getting ready to do her nails and Thomas was sitting next to her. Jennifer stated that she heard a loud bang and looked up and observed Jared Prier pointing a gun in her and Thomas' direction. 

Jennifer said that Jared nearly shot me in the head and actually nicked  her right hand with a bullet causing it to bleed a lot. Jennifer stated that Thomas jumped up and ran around the table and that Jared approached him and shot Thomas twice in the stomach. Jennifer stated that she ran to the door and exited the residence and ran to the south side of the property to a trailer that Steven Severs' father, Lester Severs, resides inside.

Jennifer stated that she and Lester then walked back to the residence and Jared Prier met them in the doorway. Jennifer stated that Letser asked Jared why he began shooting inside his son's residence and that Jared advised that he did so because he believed Thomas was a "rat." Jennifer stated that Dennis "Nathan" Meyer then showed up at the residence ready to party, not knowing that the shooting had just happened.

Jennifer stated that once Dennis "Nathan" Meyer was advised of the shooting, he gave Jared a ride away from the residence. Jennifer stated that while she had been gone to get Lester to come down to the residence, Thomas had fled to the vehicle he had driven to the residence and drove over a few driveways to where Jennifer could still see the tail lights of his vehicle.

When this detective located Jared Prier and asked what had occurred, Jared states that he was not present at the Cherry Road address that evening, that he believed Dennis "Nathan" Meyer had shot Thomas Webb.

Dennis "Nathan" Meyer is deceased as of August 21, 2014 and Jared Prier is currently in custody for the abandonment of Dennis "Nathan" Meyer's corpse, therefore this detective could not interview Dennis.

A search warrant was obtained for 3689 Cherry Road and a bullet was recovered from inside the residence and swabs of blood from the front porch were obtained.

All items were placed into evidence at the Newton County Sheriff's Office. The interview with Jennifer Miller was recorded at the Joplin Police station and also placed into evidence at the Newton County Sheriff's Office.