Around Southeast Missouri 2/2/07

Woman charged with stealing from church

A Poplar Bluff, Mo., woman is charged with stealing more than $250,000 from the church where she once worked. Kimberly R. Puckett, 44, is charged with two counts of felony stealing by deceit. An arraignment is set for Feb. 15. The court complaint alleges Puckett appropriated at least $33,000 between January and April from the Highland Church of Christ where she was once employed as bookkeeper. An audit uncovered the discrepancies in November. Poplar Bluff Police Capt. Jeff Rolland said further investigation revealed Puckett would make out a check to cash or herself and endorse and cash the check at a bank. When the bank statement arrived, she would change the payee on the check from cash or her name to a business name or legitimate company the church owed money to, he said. Rolland suspects the total dollar amount to be in excess of $250,000 going back as far as 2001.

-- Daily American

Republic, Poplar Bluff

Two men killed in Butler County car accident

Two people were killed in a Butler County wreck this week, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol reports. Billy C. Spell, 57, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Jason M. Murray, 32, of Doniphan, Mo., were killed at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday on U.S. 67 two miles north of Poplar Bluff when Spell's southbound 1998 GMC Jimmy crossed the center line and struck Murray's 2002 Ford head on, according to a patrol report. Spell, who was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the wreck, and Murray were pronounced dead at the scene at 6:34 p.m. by Butler County Assistant coroner Bruce Goins, the report indicates.

-- Daily Dunklin

Democrat