Becci Dawn Sanders, a 46-year-old White female, was a lifetime resident of Carthage, Missouri, known for her dedication to her family and her career as a realtor and postmaster in Reeds. She lived in Sarcoxie with her husband and had a deep love for the outdoors, often spending time at the lake. Her life was cut short on January 13, 2021, when Jasper County Deputies responded to a medical call at her residence on High Street.
Upon arrival, authorities discovered her deceased, and the situation was quickly escalated from a medical emergency to a homicide investigation.
Detectives noted that her gray 2015 Subaru Legacy was missing from the home, prompting a search for the stolen vehicle. The investigation identified 34-year-old Justin Chase Stevens from Cullman, Alabama, as a person of interest. Stevens had reportedly arrived in the area around New Year's Day after crashing his own vehicle near Interstate 44. He was last seen fleeing into the woods near a local convenience store before becoming the primary focus of the murder inquiry.
Law enforcement tracked the stolen Subaru to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where it was found abandoned more than 400 miles away from the crime scene. A warrant was issued for Stevens, who was considered armed and dangerous, leading to a multi-state manhunt. Authorities urged the public to provide information on his whereabouts as the community in Sarcoxie mourned the loss of Sanders.
The search for justice came to an abrupt end later that month in Alabama. On January 31, 2021, law enforcement in Cullman County located Stevens deceased in a garage where he had been hiding. Reports indicated that he died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, bringing the manhunt to a close without a trial or conviction.
