On the morning of Thursday, May 21, 2015, tragedy struck in Clinton, Missouri, when 46-year-old Sandra Kay Sutton and her 17-year-old son, Zachary Wade Sutton, were found dead. The discovery was made at a relative's home where Sandra and her son had been staying after she escaped a harrowing captivity weeks earlier. Family members returning from work found the bodies early that morning.
Authorities confirmed that both mother and son had died from gunshot wounds.
The primary suspect in the double homicide was identified as James Barton Horn Jr., a 47-year-old man with a violent criminal history. Horn had previously held Sandra Sutton against her will for four months inside his home in Sedalia, Missouri. During that time, he forced her to live inside a wooden box that measured approximately 100 inches long, 48 inches wide, and 52 inches tall. The box, which authorities later dismantled, was soundproofed with insulation and contained a bucket for waste. Sandra had managed to escape Horn's control on April 30, 2015, fleeing to a neighbor's house to call for help. Following her escape, Horn was charged with kidnapping, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon, but he evaded capture and went on the run.
A massive manhunt ensued following the discovery of the bodies in Clinton. Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies scoured the region for Horn, considering him armed and dangerous. On Saturday, May 23, 2015, two days after the murders, police received a tip that led them to the J.N. 'Turkey' Kearn Memorial Conservation Area in Pettis County. Officers located Horn hiding in a closet inside a building on the property. When confronted, Horn, who was armed with a weapon, refused to surrender and was shot and killed by law enforcement officers at the scene.
