Officer Cory Waters honored for detective work that led to arrest of suspect in hit-and-run that killed Joplin woman

Joplin Police Officer Cory Waters was named officer of the month for January for his work in finding the suspect in the January 8 hit-and-run accident that killed Eva M. Havelock, 55, Joplin.

Ruben Blanco, 49, Joplin, pleaded not guilty Monday in Jasper County Circuit Court to a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident and three misdemeanor charges.

The Joplin Police Department issued the following news release today about Waters' honor.

The Joplin Police Department is proud to recognize Police Officer Cory Waters, who has been awarded Officer of the Month for January of 2024 by Chief Richard Pearson. His nomination was based on the following:

On January 8th, 2024, a crash involving a pedestrian and SUV occurred at 1805 hours. The SUV left the scene and there were only vague descriptions of a dark colored small SUV. The pedestrian later died at the hospital. 

Ofc. Waters, who did not work the crash, came in the next morning, and heard about the crash. Without being directed, he started asking some questions and read over the call log. He began searching RMS for black SUV’s and reading over reports for possible matches. 

Later in the day, he located a report involving a black SUV and a driver that could possibly match the description. He spent all his free time that day, going by related addresses and then businesses looking for possible video of suspect vehicle from the night before. 

After being told by his Corporal that a part left behind at the crash was possibly from a 2000-2005 Ford Explorer, he advised that he possibly found a potential suspect. Ofc. Waters found that his suspect was on probation, and he contacted the assigned probation officer. After several phone calls back and forth, he was able to convince the probation officer to do a surprise home visit the next day.

With no other leads on any other vehicles or drivers, Ofc. Waters found the current address for his suspect and sat off the house the next day, continuing the investigation, while he waited for a possible visit time by the probation officer. Other officers continued searching for other possible vehicles but Ofc. Waters felt that he found the offender. 

After the probation officer left the home, he called Ofc. Waters and the information passed on justified keeping the male as a possible suspect. Ofc. Waters felt that it was time for a knock and talk. He contacted detectives asking for assistance. 

Not wanting to steal the case from the reporting officer, Ofc. Waters set up the knock and talk with the detectives and the reporting officer. The contact resulted in the officers locating a back Ford SUV with damage matching and obvious attempts to repair the car. The male agreed to go the station with Sgt. Stahl for an interview. The interview resulted in the male admitting that he was the driver and sole occupant in the crash that killed the pedestrian.

Due to Ofc. Waters incredible attention to detail and quality of work, a fatal hit and run that could easily have gone unsolved was solved with a confession and offender in custody within 48 hours of the incident. Officer Waters, thank you for your hard work and dedication to the Joplin Police Department and the citizens we serve.

Chief Richard Pearson

More information can be found in the links below:

The Turner Report: Suspect in hit-and-run death of Joplin woman had suspended California license (rturner229.blogspot.com)

The Turner Report: Arrest made in hit-and-run death of Joplin woman, vehicle located in Duquesne (rturner229.blogspot.com)