TWO FACE CHARGES IN KILLING

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- A five-year investigation into the slaying of a Milwaukee, Wis., man has resulted in the arrest of two Sikeston, Mo., men.

Michael Lee Richardson and Darrius DeWayne Johnson, both 27, were arrested at their homes without incident Wednesday evening.

They were charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of 28-year-old Freddie Lee Hyche, whose skeletal remains were accidentally discovered in a dump near Matthews, Mo., on Feb. 26, 1995.

Hyche was shot to death, New Madrid County Sheriff Gary Hill said. He declined to say whether Hyche was killed at the dump.

Investigators believe the suspects knew the victim. "I'm sure there was an acquaintance there of some sort," Hill said.

Richardson and Johnson became suspects at some point earlier in the investigation, but their arrests were possible because of new information developed, said Cpl. Phil Gregory, an investigator for the Missouri State Highway Patrol. He declined to elaborate.

Investigators determined the actual slaying occurred Sept. 1, 1994. Hill said that was done by piecing together information about when Hyche was last seen.

Hyche lived both in Milwaukee and the Sikeston area, investigators said.

The New Madrid County Sheriff's Department, Sikeston Department of Public Safety and Missouri State Highway Patrol cooperated in the investigation and arrests.

The suspects were being held Friday in the New Madrid County Jail awaiting court appearances next week.