Just short of five years after he murdered 12-year-old Adriaunna Horton, Bobby Bourne, 39, Lockwood, pleaded guilty to first degree murder and kidnapping to escape the death penalty.
As part of a plea agreement that was approved by the victim's family, Bourne was sentenced to life imprisonment on both charges with the charges to run consecutively.Adriaunna Horton's death and the hunt for Bourne was detailed in a news release issued by the Barton County Prosecuting Attorney's office:
On August 19, 2013, at 4:55 p.m, 12-year-old Adriaunna Horton was playing in Hazel's Park in Golden City with her two sisters. Adriaunna was observed by two other children playing in the park at the time getting into the front passenger door of a blue Ford Expedition driven by Bourne.
Adriaunna's sisters ran to their grandparents' residence and reported that Adriaunna had left the park with Bourne. The family began a search of the area for her and then reported her missing to Barton County 911 at approximately 5:22 p.m.
At approximately 7:05 p.m., Trooper Justin Leemasters observed a blue Ford Expedition traveling on Mill Street in Golden City and conducted a traffic stop. Bourne was the driver of the vehicle and he was arrested at that time for child kidnapping.
During post-Miranda interviews, Bourne admitted to picking Adriaunna up near Hazel's Park. Bourne later led investigators to the general area where her buried body was subsequently discovered. In a recorded telephone call with his wife, Bourne admitted that he was responsible for Adriaunna's death.
The case was investigated by the Barton County Sheriff's Department, Missouri Highway Patrol, Lamar Police Department, multiple law enforcement member agencies of the Southwest Missouri Major Case Squad, Jasper County Sheriff's Department, and with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Kevin Zoellner and Barton County Prosecuting Attorney Steven H. Kaderly.
How Bobby Bourne was free to commit the murder is a question that has never been answered.
At the time of his sentencing Bourne was already serving a 15-year term in the state prison since murder and kidnapping are considered good reasons to revoke probation.
The Turner Report detailed Bourne's extensive problems with the law in a June 23, 2014 post that has never been followed up on by any area media:
It told of Bourne assaulting another young girl, who yelled at him to get off her after the two had an argument and he followed her into a bedroom. The girl's mother rushed to the room and was frightened by what she saw. Bourne, a man in his 30s, was hitting her daughter, who was lying on her back on the bed.
Shawnee Bench yelled at Bourne, her brother-in-law, to get off the girl. When he did not, she tried to grab his arm and pull him off, but he was too strong. Bourne grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a violent shove.
"Get out of my "f------g house," Bourne shouted.
Bourne's lengthy record, including arrests for domestic assault, unlawful use of a weapon, tampering, and driving while intoxicated, were enough to put him behind bars, but Officer Cottingham was also convinced by the savage nature of the incidents involved in that October 2012 arrest that Bobby Dale Bourne posed a threat to the community.
The assault on the Lockwood child occurred only a month after Bourne admitted in Polk County Circuit Court he had assaulted a law enforcement officer and had been intoxicated, violating the terms of his probation on a 2006 felony tampering charge.
A motion to revoke Bourne's probation and send him to prison for five years was filed, but no hearing was ever held. Polk County records show that during an October 1 hearing, Judge John Sims ruled that Bourne's probation would be continued with the same conditions.
Before the month was out, court records indicate, Bourne violated his probation two more times. Though there is no mention in the Polk County online records of what the violations were, it would appear that at least one of the violations occurred just one week after Judge Sims' decision when Bourne was charged with two counts of domestic assault.
The charges that Officer Cottingham filed against Bourne in Lockwood included one felony assault, one misdemeanor assault, and endangering the welfare of a child.
On Nov. 5, 2012, a warrant was issued for Bourne's arrest and his bond was set at $60,000. Three times revocation hearings were scheduled and three times they were postponed. In the middle of that period, Judge Sims retired, complicating the situation even more.
The motion to revoke Bourne's probation was withdrawn and on Feb. 8, the $60,000 bond was posted. His probation ended March 4, 2013.
Shortly after that, the assault charges against Bourne were reduced from felony to misdemeanor; he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 60 days in jail on each count with the sentences to run concurrently.
It was shortly after Bourne was released that authorities say he ended Adriaunna Horton's life.
It took the kidnapping, rape, and murder of a 12-year-old girl to finally convince a judge that it was time to revoke Bobby Bourne's probation.
This is a case where I hope that what you hear happens to child molesters in prison really does happen. He is evil.
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