Sentencing date set for Webb City woman who assaulted, tortured murder victim

A 1:30 p.m. January 4 sentencing has been scheduled for a Webb City woman who pleaded guilty April 27 to her role in the kidnapping conspiracy that led to the death of Michael James Hall, Joplin, July 28, 2020.

According to a detention motion filed in August 2021, gang association led to the involvement of Amy Kay Thomas, 40, in the kidnapping, torture murder of Hall whose decomposing body was discovered July 28, 2020, by officers from the Joplin Police Department and Newton County Sheriff's Office while they were executing a search warrant at 3517 Cherry Road, Joplin.

Others indicted in connection with the death of Hall were Lawrence William Vaughan, aka "Scary Larry," 49, Neosho, Russell Eugene Hurtt, 49, Joplin, and Carla Jo Ward, 47, Joplin.

The crime was described in Justice Department's September 19 news release following Tilton's guilty plea

According to the plea agreement in Tilton's case, Ward picked up M.H., whom she knew was being sought by Tilton, and took him to Vaughan’s residence. 

Tilton, Thomas, and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. 

Gibson, Thomas, and others assaulted M.H. for a period of time. M.H. was cut, beaten, shot at, and burned with a blowtorch. As M.H. became bloody, Vaughan placed a plastic tarp on the floor. Tilton fatally shot M.H. in the head. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and transported it to Hurtt’s property.

All of the participants in the kidnapping and murder have pleaded guilty.