A 51-year-old woman, Donna Tooley, from Jefferson County, Missouri, was charged Friday with the murder and dismemberment of her boyfriend, Vincent S. White, 50, whose remains were discovered in a burn pit last month.
STL Today reports that on January 9, White was last seen at the home he shared with his girlfriend, Tooley, in the 4100 block of Schumacher Road in High Ridge, Missouri.
The following day, it was reported that the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) employees discovered portions of White’s remains in a burn pit near the Chouteau Claim Access – Conservation Area in Franklin County.
Police officials say his body was dumped in the area two to three days before he was killed, but it is believed that the gruesome murder may have taken place in Jefferson County.
A week later, detectives used cadaver dogs to search the area. More of White’s remains were found in the Highway AH area.
After an investigation, Tooley was arrested on Friday, February 3, on charges of “second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and tampering with physical evidence,” police say.
Capt. Gary Higginbotham stated that the cause of death and motive for the killing have not been determined, but they believe “Tooley fatally shot White” before dismembering his body and dumping him in a burn pit.
Joe DiClue lives along Highway AH and said that he was stunned after learning about the dismembered body found in a burn pit, adding that “it’s really scary because you don’t see that in this area.”
Tooley remains behind bars on a cash-only bond of $100,000.
An investigation is ongoing.
[Featured Image: Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office]
