93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Missouri’s Probation and Parole Board has quickly revoked the parole of a convicted killer who barricaded himself inside his Moberly home for more than 20 hours.
59-year-old Steven Thorp has been transported from the Randolph County jail to Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center (FRDC). Randolph County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Thorp early Tuesday morning in Moberly. Our news partner ABC-17 News reports Thorp shot a police drone down during the standoff, and that 14 canisters of tear gas were used during the standoff.
The 1993 murder happened in northeast Missouri’s rural Perry. Court documents say the victim, Richard Gillenwater, disappeared and was later found with two gunshot wounds to the back of the head. A shotgun was used.
Thorp has been returned to prison, where he’ll have to finish serving his 30-year sentence for second degree murder. The Missouri Department of Corrections’ website indicates Thorp has been paroled three times, after being convicted of murder.
Several listeners have asked why Thorp barricaded himself inside his Moberly home. Randolph County Sheriff Aaron Wilson tells 939 the Eagle that Thorp told negotiators that he didn’t want to go back to prison. The sheriff was standing there when Thorp said that.
Sheriff Wilson says it was a team effort to capture Thorp. He is thanking U.S. Marshals, Linn County Sheriff Jeff Henke, Moberly Police, the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop F and Troop C SWAT teams, the Randolph County Ambulance District and the Eastern Randolph Fire Protection District. Sheriff Henke brought a K-9 to the scene.
