Caruthersville police chief accused of forgery, stealing

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- The police chief and an officer from Caruthersville are accused of stealing about $25,000 from an investigation fund.

Chief Chris Riggs is suspended, and officer Marcus Hopkins is expected to resign. Both men were arrested Wednesday following an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and released on $200,000 bond.

Authorities say Riggs wrote checks to Hopkins out of the fund over a two-year period ending in August, then forged Hopkins' signature to cash the checks. Both face multiple counts of forgery, and Riggs is also charged with stealing.

Riggs did not yet have a listed attorney. An attorney for Hopkins did not return a message seeking comment.

"It is an ongoing criminal investigation right now and we have not concluded it," trooper Clark Parrott with the patrol's Troop E told the Daily Dunklin Democrat.

When asked about the possibility of more charges being filed, he said, "Possibly could be but it's an ongoing criminal investigation."