Rusty and Becky Porter Murder – Rusty and Becky Porter unexpectedly vanished from their farmhouse and were later discovered shot to death. Remind Cain and Abel that the saying “blood is thicker than water” is untrue. Family disputes can become just as violent as those between strangers. Russell “Rusty” Porter of Willard, Missouri, had issues with his uncle, Robert Campbell, ever since his mother gave him the family farm.
Things finally became so bad that when Campbell hired his brother-in-law and his friend Tony to kill Porter and his wife, Rebecca “Becky” Porter. The friend enlisted the aid of his wife, Windy, son Phillip, and relative Dusty Hicks to carry out the evil deed. All of them are currently serving prison sentences. “Investigation Discovery” shows the tragic killings in the episode “On the Case With Paula Zahn: Trail of Betrayal.”
So, if you’re interested in learning more, keep reading below.
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How Did Becky and Rusty Porter Pass Away?
Rusty Porter was the husband of 46-year-old Rebecca Porter, a mother of two. The pair were said to be deeply in love and experiencing their happiest time ever.
They resided on the Porter family farm in Willard, Missouri, a suburb of Springfield and about 10 miles to the west. Family members claimed that they loved working on the farm and that they had just begun their new lives together.
Jessica, Rebecca’s daughter, spoke with her mother on April 17, 2011. She explained that her mom had been unwell and promised to talk with her the following day. Instead, Jessica lost contact with her mother forever. She claimed that despite her attempts to get in touch with family, they had also not heard from her.
Jessica drove the 45 minutes to the farmhouse because she claimed to have a gut sense. On April 18, she claimed the door was already open when she arrived at about 12 am. She walked to the door and searched for her mother. She was more concerned when there was no response. The Greene County Sheriff’s office arrived shortly after she dialled 911.
When the police entered the house, they informed Jessica that no intruder was present. However, when the cops entered the master bedroom, they discovered some unsettling items. The blankets were torn off the bed, the mattress was wonky, and Rebecca’s handbag and phone were all over the floor.
The house smelled strongly of bleach, and there were puddles everywhere. The authorities questioned whether the bleach had been used to remove any leftover fingerprints or evidence.
After finding it there, the cops discovered a cut window screen in the kitchen and concluded that it was the primary point of entry.
Rusty’s office had been looted when the cops searched the rest of the house. The computer itself was absent, but there was a monitor on the ground. Additionally, the couple’s security cameras that overlooked the driveway were destroyed, which was discovered by the police.
The police suspected foul play, but Rebecca and Rusty were nowhere to be found.
The police spoke with the relatives of Rebecca and Rusty at the outset of the investigation. They enquired as to whether anyone might have seen them or had the desire to harm them.
According to Rusty’s mother, Kay Simmons, she saw her on April 17 when he came to take ibuprofen for Rebecca from the house near the farm house.
When the police enquired whether Kay knew anyone who would want to harm the couple, she advised them to look into Rebecca’s ex-husband.
When Rebecca and her ex started fighting, it was over a restaurant they had co-owned. Rebecca even requested an order of protection, but the judge rejected her request.
The cops arrived to question Kay’s ex-husband. But when they learned of his passing, he was ultimately disqualified.
The police were starting again from scratch. However, while searching for the couple’s residence, they did discover some interesting information. They found letters that Rebecca had sent to Rusty complaining about the circumstances.
Jessica explained to the authorities that Rebecca had been unhappy in the days before her death. She claimed that because of a dispute he had with his uncle, Robert Campbell, she and Rusty had frequently been arguing. Evidently, Robert was annoyed that Rebecca and Rusty were residing in the farmhouse. Rusty was allegedly being watched by Robert, according to Robert.
Robert was allegedly selling stolen equipment while operating an unlawful business, according to Rusty and Rebecca.
When Robert learned that Rusty had requested an order of protection, he passed past the couple’s house and remarked, “You better watch yourself.” Rusty recorded this about the incident in his notes.
Robert would have to wait a few days before the police could speak with him. Being a long-haul truck driver, he was away at work and on the road.
The police confirmed Robert’s location in Texas on the night the couple vanished after they retrieved his phone records. He was also taken out.
The couple’s family started searching for them all around the city. Additionally, they posted flyers and posters about missing people all around Missouri. Finally, the investigation would produce a tip.
Who Killed Becky and Rusty Porter and Why?
After several weeks of looking, a jailhouse informer gave the police a lead. He claimed to know who killed Rebecca and Rusty. The informant claimed that Tony Friend approached him a few weeks before he was sentenced to prison. As slang for murder, Tony claimed that he had “taken their birthdays” to him.
According to the cops who looked him up in the database, Tony had quite a record. He was frequently detained for violence, domestic assault, and producing weapons. He was a pretty violent individual, and the cops needed to speak to him.
The police also retrieved Tony’s cell phone data. It put Tony close to the Porters’ house the night they vanished. As a result, the police came to the conclusion that the informant had a lot of credibility.
Tony Friend was hauled in by the police for interrogation. He was quite arrogant and evasive. He lied about his origins and claimed he didn’t know the Porters.
Tony Friend was a native of Missouri’s Cedar Creek. Police discovered that Cedar Creek was more involved in this case than they initially believed. According to his phone records, Tony was in Cedar Creek on the night of the disappearance.
The cops went to Cedar Creek, Missouri, to speak with Tony’s relatives. First, they inquired as to Tony’s favorite place to go when he came to the home. Tony’s family said that Tony frequently visited the Mark Twain National Forest and frequented a cabin that was now abandoned and had a boat dock and a defunct bulldozer.
In order to launch an investigation there, the Taney County Sheriff’s office was approached by the Greene County Sheriff’s office.
The police said that Becky’s handbag and phone were still at the house. In the ignition were even her automobile keys. But the security cameras had been tampered with, and they could smell chlorine in the air. The hunt ended tragically, so the authorities focused on Robert Campbell, Rusty’s uncle. Robert had a tight connection with his nephew and lived next door with his family.
Robert was displeased that his sister had given her son, Rusty, the family farmhouse. Additionally, he believed Rusty was spying on him and informing the authorities about his whereabouts and activities. A verbal argument was also a part of their increasing quarrel a month or two before the pair vanished. Additionally, they had both requested orders of protection from the other.
“Robert Campbell drove by our driveway and yelled out his window … and told me to watch myself you won’t be around much longer.”, according to Rusty. Robert, however, asserted that he was terrified of his nephew since Robert was elderly and ill. Robert wasn’t even at home when the Porters vanished, but the police had no evidence linking him to the crime.
The detectives got lucky when they learned about Tony Friend, who had mentioned killing the couple, via a jailhouse source. Tony was Robert’s brother-in-law and had a terrible criminal past. Additionally, phone records revealed that he was close to the Porters’ house at the time of the crime. Additionally, Tony and Robert were in frequent communication before the couple’s disappearance.
Investigations found there were additional participants. According to rumours, Tony’s wife Windy, his son Phillip, and his cousin Dusty Hicks all had a hand in Rusty and Becky’s disappearance and death. Robert later acknowledged hiring Tony to kill the Porters in a jailhouse confession. With the image in hand, the police discovered that Windy waited outside in the car while Tony, Phillip, and Dusty broke into the Porters’ house. Zip ties were used to bind Rusty and Becky before they were dragged into the car.
The other passengers traveled to Cedar Creek, Missouri, while Windy was dropped off. According to what Phillip later revealed to the police, Tony drove the couple to a cabin as Phillip and Dusty waited in the car. Phillip reported hearing two gunshots. When they later made the decision to relocate the remains, Windy and the others drove back to the spot. Additionally, the prosecution claimed that Robert had paid $100,000 for the killings.
What Happened to Robert Campbell and Where Is He Now?
The police assumed that Robert’s decision to have the Porters killed was motivated by growing tensions with Rusty. As a result, Robert Campbell was convicted of two charges of second-degree murder in July 2016. By that point, the other four had also been found guilty of various counts depending on their participation and cooperation.
Robert, who was 72 at the time, received two consecutive life sentences in September 2016. According to prison records, he is still detained at the Jefferson City Correctional Center in Cole County, Missouri. So many lives were lost over a plot of land and a house. A rich jackass killed two unjustly accused people.
I firmly believe that Robert was engaging in dubious activities, which may have contributed to his desire to have the couple killed. I also think he was genuinely envious of Rusty. Robert’s sister, Kay, Rusty’s mother, claimed that her brother deserved to rot in jail for what he did. He removed her infant and the person who had brought her kid the most incredible level of happiness. This wrecked SO many lives, and I hope the families can find comfort whenever they receive the justice they are due.