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EMINENCE, Mo. Authorities are seeking two individuals following charges of second-degree murder related to a 2018 incident initially reported as a drowning in the Jacks Fork River, according to recent court filings.
Zachary Dalton Watson, who was born in 1995, faces a second-degree murder charge, categorized as a Class A felony, for his alleged involvement in the death of Robbie Crites.
The probable cause affidavit suggests that Watson collaborated with others on June 16, 2018, intending to inflict severe physical harm on Crites. The statement alleges Watson assaulted Crites, ensnared him in fishing line, and submerged him in the river, resulting in his drowning.
In a separate legal document filed in Shannon County, Austin Drake Womack, born in 1999, also faces second-degree murder charges for the same incident. Witnesses have reportedly claimed that Womack repeatedly confessed to Crites’ murder.
In the probable cause statement, investigators allege Watson acted “in concert with another person or persons” on or about June 16, 2018, with the purpose of causing serious physical injury to Crites by assaulting him, wrapping him in fishing line and depositing him in the river, causing him to drown.
A separate filing in Shannon County today also accuses Austin Drake Womack, born in 1999, of second-degree murder in the same death. Court documents say witnesses reported Womack made repeated admissions to killing Crites.
One witness told investigators that about three weeks after Crites died, he confronted Womack while Womack was walking by with a 12-pack of beer. The witness said Womack responded, “Yeah, I killed that motherf—, he owed me money for dope,” and kept walking, court documents say.
Another witness told investigators Womack later claimed at a bonfire in Winona that he killed Crites, giving different reasons for the attack and describing a series of assaults, according to the statement.
The witness said Womack claimed he confronted Crites, hit him with Crites’ fishing pole and punched and kicked him. Additionally, the witness said Womack also described stabbing Crites with a fishing hook and ripping it across his torso before kicking him into the water.
Other witnesses at the bonfire also told investigators they heard Womack describe killing Crites and claim others were wrongly suspected, according to court documents.
The probable cause statement filed in Watson’s case cites multiple witnesses who placed Watson and another man near the river around the time Crites went missing.
Relatives told investigators Crites was last seen fishing that morning and was later found in the water. One witness told investigators the fishing line was wrapped around parts of Crites’ body when he was recovered, the statement says.
Warrants have been issued for their arrests with $250,000 bonds set.