Probable cause: Lockwood sex offender kidnaps woman, threatens to kill her and her dog, burn her house down

A Lockwood sex offender with a long criminal history was charged today in Dade County Circuit Court with kidnapping, armed criminal action, domestic assault, failure to register as a sex offender and unlawful use of a weapon.

Frederick Wade Witzke Jr. (DOB 1962), allegedly threatened to kill a Lockwood woman and her dog and burn her house down.

On 01/09/2024 during a stolen vehicle investigation, I made contact with Frederick Wade Witzke Jr at his residence located at 402 MO-D Highway, Lockwood Missouri. 

During this investigation, I learned Mr. Witzke was a convicted sex offender and was required to be registered with the Missouri Sex Offender Registry. I checked the registry and learned he was noncompliant (Tier Level 3) and still showed an address in Maries County Missouri. 

I advised Mr. Witzke that he needed to immediately register as a sex offender in Dade County. Mr. Witzke stated he had been living at the residence since Christmas (2023) and would register as soon as he could. 

On 01/21/2024 Mr. Witzke called Dade County 911 reporting a possible burglary in progress at his residence. Mr. Witzke admitted he was armed with a weapon and would "shoot" if the unknown persons gained entry into his residence. 

On 03/29/2024 I was contacted by T.S. about Mr. Witzke living at her residence located at 402 MO-D Highway. T.S. stated: She was scared of him. 

She went on a date with him around Christmas (2023), and he stayed the weekend at her house. He is still at her house and will not leave. 

Around January 1st (2024) she told him that he needed to leave the residence. She has a 9mm handgun in the residence. Mr. Witzke got angry and took her gun away from her. She attempted to reach for the gun to take it back, Mr. Witzke grabbed the gun, grabbed her by her shirt, and threatened her with the gun. 

Mr. Witzke held her dog up by his neck and threatened to kill her and her dog. He stated he wasn't leaving her residence, and she couldn't make him leave. He threatened to kill her, kill her dog, and burn her house down if she did not comply with what he wants. 

Today 03/29/2024,he told her that he was going to sexually force himself on her when she got home. He told TS if he didn't kill her, he would send someone else to do it, if TS didn't do what he wanted. She had no idea of his criminal past. 

T.S. stated that Mr. Witzke will not allow her to have her gun back. He keeps it in his bedroom at all times. The bedroom he is living in is by the front door of the residence. His bedroom window is next to the front door. 

T.S. applied for an ex parte order of protection from the Dade County Circuit Court and was issued an order. T.S. gave law enforcement permission to enter and search her residence if needed for the gun. T.S. was not home and was afraid for her life if she went back due to contacting law enforcement about Mr. Witzke, due to his threats to her if she did contact law enforcement. 

I again checked the Missouri Sex Offender registry, Mr. Witzke was still showing non-compliant and had not registered with Dade County as a sex offender. 

I drove to the residence located at 402 MO-D Highway and made contact with Mr. Witzke by telephone. I asked Mr. Witzke to come outside the residence where I made contact with him on the front porch and placed him into handcuffs. I advised Mr. Witzke he was under arrest for failure to register as a sex offender. I advised Mr. Witzke of his Miranda rights, in which he stated he understood. 

Sheriff Huffman served Mr. Witzke with the ex parte order. Mr. Witzke denied that there were any firearms in the house, and he had no knowledge of one. Mr. Witzke gave me consent to enter his bedroom to get his prescription medications and search the bedroom for the firearm. 

Deputy Hinson escorted Mr. Witzke inside to his bedroom to be present during the search. Mr. Witzke admitted that T.S. had a pistol, but he never had it other than when someone was trying to break into the residence, when he called 911. 

He gave the pistol back to T.S. and she hid it in her bedroom somewhere. Everything in his bedroom is his. T.S. does not have anything in his bedroom. Mr. Witzke again advised reporting officer that I could search his bedroom. 

Sheriff Huffman gathered Mr. Witzke's prescription medications at Mr Witzke's direction and I started searching the bedroom for the firearm. I was able to locate Jimenez Arms model: J.A. Nine 9mm handgun (serial number 156398) laying on the floor at the head of the bed mattress in the room. The gun was located in between the bed mattress and the south wall. The gun's magazine was fully loaded with one bullet in the chamber of the weapon. I advised Mr. Witzke I had located the firearm in his bedroom. Mr. Witzke did not make any further comment about the gun. 

Mr. Witzke has the following felony convictions on his criminal history, including but not limited to:

Assault 1st degree 05-27-1983 MO HP Troop I Rolla Missouri : 

Assault 1st degree 07-24-1984 Phelps County Missouri : 

Sexual Abuse 1st degree 07-24-1984 Phelps County Missouri : 

Domestic Assault 3rd degree 09-17-2018 Laclede County Missouri : 

Failure to register as a sex offender 11-13-2018 Saline County Missouri. 

And several arrests that were not prosecuted.