Source: Office of United States Attorneys
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the torture and death of the victim, as well as another conspiracy to kidnap a woman who was rescued from his attack at a Neosho, Mo., hotel room.
Freddie Lewis Tilton, also known as “Ol’ Boy,” 52, of Joplin, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to life in federal prison without parole.
Tilton pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2023, to his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the torture and death of the victim, as well as two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. The court sentenced Tilton to one term of life in prison and two terms of 10 years in prison, to be served concurrently, in this case.
In a separate case involving a second victim, Tilton was found guilty at trial on Sept. 17, 2024, of one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, one count of kidnapping, and one count of stalking. The court sentenced Tilton to two terms of 30 years in prison and one term of 10 years in prison, to be served concurrently to the sentence in the first case, for a total sentence of life in prison.
Tilton pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim, identified as “M.H.,” in July 2020. Tilton is among six defendants who pleaded guilty and have been sentenced in this case. James B. Gibson, also known as “Gibby,” 42, of Neosho, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole. Lawrence William Vaughan, also known as “Scary Larry,” 53, of Neosho, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Amy Kay Thomas, 41, of Webb City, Mo., was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Carla Jo Ward, 50, of Joplin, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Russell Eugene Hurtt, also known as “Uncle,” 53, of Greenwood, Mo., was sentenced to seven years in federal prison without parole.
Tilton offered Ward and Vaughan $5,000 each to locate and secure M.H. for him. Ward picked up M.H., whom she knew was being sought by Tilton, and took him to Vaughan’s residence.
Tilton, Thomas, and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. Gibson, Thomas, and others assaulted M.H. for a period of time. M.H. was cut, beaten, and shot at. Gibson burned M.H. with a blowtorch. Tilton fatally shot M.H. in the head. Thomas and others cleaned up the blood and damage created during the assault and shooting of M.H. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and Thomas, Tilton, and Gibson transported it to Hurtt’s property.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hurtt’s property on July 28, 2020, based on information that a deceased body was located on the acreage. When officers attempted to contact the occupants of the residence, Tilton fired multiple shots from inside the residence at the officers. Tilton was apprehended.
Officers found M.H.’s body on the property. Officers searched the residence and found a Rigarmi .25-caliber pistol, an Ithaca .22-caliber rifle, a Remington .22-caliber rifle without a serial number, a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and a Taurus 9mm handgun without a serial number.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Tilton has two prior felony convictions for burglary, two prior felony convictions for larceny of an automobile, and prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of a controlled substance, burglary of an automobile, possession of a chemical with intent to manufacture, receiving stolen property, unlawful use of a weapon, theft and tampering.
In a separate case that involved another kidnapping a few days after M.H.’s death, before Tilton was apprehended by law enforcement, Tilton and co-defendant Alvin Dale Boyer, 39, of Rogers, Arkansas, conspired to kidnap the second victim, identified in court documents as “S.T.” Boyer also was found guilty at trial on Sept. 17, 2024, of his role in the kidnapping conspiracy and one count of kidnapping and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 25, 2025.
An employee at Boonslick Lodge in Neosho called police at approximately 11:46 p.m. on July 19, 2020, to report that a woman was being choked and dragged into a room. A police officer knocked on the door of the room, and S.T., bloody and injured, opened the door and ran out of the room. Tilton jumped out the back window and escaped.
Boyer had rented a room at the motel and invited S.T. to the motel to spend time with him. Unknown to S.T., Boyer had rented the motel room for Tilton and Tilton was waiting in the room for her. S.T. had an ex parte order of protection against Tilton. When S.T. entered the room, she was assaulted by Tilton. S.T. was observed on video surveillance struggling to get out of the room, but she was dragged back in by Tilton. Tilton struck S.T. repeatedly with a firearm and his fist. Tilton attempted to shoot S.T., but the gun jammed. S.T. was assaulted inside the room by Tilton for more than eight minutes before law enforcement arrived.
Tilton escaped out of a window of the motel room with a handgun. Tilton attempted to climb down a vertical rain gutter, but fell to the ground as the guttering broke then ran away.
Officers searched the motel room and found numerous indications that a violent, physical assault had taken place inside the room. In addition to blood on the room floor and door, officers found a chair with rope and zip ties attached, more nylon rope and zip ties, duct tape, a pair of pliers, a blowtorch and lighter fluid, a butane torch, drop cloths, plastic gloves, a Taurus 9mm handgun, and a Kimber .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle.
S.T. was transported to a hospital for treatment of her injuries.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. They were investigated by the FBI, Newton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Neosho, Mo., Police Department.
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