The Howell County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help in locating two people reported missing within the past week, 17-year-old Abby Lawless and 35-year-old Devin Daniels, both of rural West Plains.
The sheriff’s office issued an endangered person advisory Saturday afternoon for Lawless, reported missing at midnight Friday, from her home on County Road 9470, about 4 miles south of Legit Speedway.
She is described as a white girl, standing at 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing 162 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes, and it was unknown what clothing she was wearing.
According to the alert, disseminated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Lawless left a note stating she was “better off living on her own,” and was believed at the time to be possibly traveling to Kansas City with a person she met online; that person’s identity is unknown. The sheriff’s office notes it is suspected the person she met is male, and that she ran away with him.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, which takes its information from the National Crime Information Center, notes Lawless turned 17 on Aug. 8 and includes an update that the possibility exists she may be traveling to the state of Virginia. The vehicle in which she is traveling is unknown.
Daniels was reported missing Sunday, having last been seen leaving his home on foot, traveling near Private Road 6449 off of K Highway, about half a mile northeast of Fairview School.
He is described as a white man, standing at 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing 190 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes, and was reportedly last seen wearing a black T-shirt, black shoes and blue shorts with yellow trim.
Authorities note Daniels is known to frequent the Springfield area.
At present, Howell County and West Plains authorities are investigating nine cases involving missing people: Sandra Bennett, 61 at the time of her disappearance from Caulfield, April 8, 2021; Hailee Renae Chastain, 25 at the time of her disappearance from Whitter, Calif., May 7, 2023; Kermit Collins, 58 at the time of his disappearance form West Plains, May 4, 2017; Falecia Gutierrez, 35 at the time of her disappearance from West Plains, Dec. 9, 2023; Robert Huddleson, 66 at the time of his disappearance July 27, 2017; Danny Roberts, 32 at the time of his disappearance from West Plains, June 14, 1995; Limon Little, 49 at the time of his disappearance from West Plains, Dec. 15, 2020; and Ira Briscoe, 25 at the time of his disappearance from West Plains Dec. 17, 2020.
The Howell County Sheriff’s Office reported that on Aug. 10, skeletal remains were found, exhumed Thursday, and identification through the Missouri State Highway Patrol laboratory is pending. While Howell County authorities did not give any information in their initial release as to where the remains were located or to whom they might belong, the Spring River Chronicle, based in Hardy, Ark., reported on Friday that “two sets of human skeletal remains” were found in a cistern on a property in Lanton with assistance from investigators with the Fulton and Sharp county sheriff’s offices in Arkansas. The Chronicle further reported the remains are believed to be those of Little and Briscoe, who were roommates, citing a metal jaw plate found on one of the skulls. The Chronicle noted Briscoe’s family confirmed he had undergone jaw surgery prior to his disappearance.
In response to a request made by the Quill for confirmation of the accuracy of The Chronicle's report, Howell County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Angela Conboy confirmed the case is an active investigation, noting that information regarding the investigation "should have never been released like it was." She added that information released by any party other than the Howell County Sheriff's Office "could hinder this investigation."
Conboy, however, was able to confirm a few details from the report: "What I can verify accurately is that we located two sets of skeletal remains. We cannot confirm the identity of the remains until positive identification can be made by the MSHP Crime Laboratory. I can verify that these remains were located in a cistern several miles from where Ira Briscoe lived before he went missing."
Anyone with information about Lawless’ or Daniels’ whereabouts, or those of any other missing person, should immediately dial 911 or call the Howell County Sheriff’s Office, 417-256-2544.
Editor's note: This article was updated at 9:50 a.m. Aug. 21 to include the statement from Howell County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Angela Conboy.
