A first-degree murder charge has been filed in Independence County Circuit Court against Cody Weathers (pictured above in his Greene County, Missouri jail booking image), 28, of Batesville.
Authorities have said Weathers is the suspect in the Jan. 25 killing of Adam Lowry, 29, inside their residence on Rounds Road, east of Batesville.
According to the arrest affidavit, Independence County Dispatch received a 911 call around 4:30 p.m. on Monday regarding a male subject, identified as Cody Thomas Weathers, having “homicidal and suicidal ideations.” The caller also said there were a large number of firearms and handwritten notes throughout the Rounds Road residence as well as a deceased dog upstairs.
When deputies entered the residence with the complainant, they discovered a pool table with numerous firearms and a broken computer on the floor, the affidavit said.
Upstairs, the deputies discovered a deceased male subject under a sleeping bag on the reclining portion of a couch. The affidavit said the complainant told deputies the deceased male was Adam Lowry, the roommate of Weathers.
After securing the residence and obtaining a search warrant, deputies along with investigators from the Arkansas State Police determined the victim had a suspected gunshot wound to the head. A shotgun and two spent shell casings were found in the lower part of the residence, the affidavit noted.
An investigation and manhunt for Weathers then ensued that involved the Independence County Sheriff’s Department, officers from the Batesville Police Department and Arkansas Game and Fish as well as special agents of the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division.
On Tuesday, Jan. 26, the Springfield Police Department contacted the Independence County Sheriff’s Department and advised them that Weathers had been located.
According to the affidavit, a local citizen observed Weathers at a library reading a Bible and talking to various people about the Bible. The citizen approached Weathers and began a conversation in which Weathers told the citizen he had shot “Adam.” He also told the local that he was God and had been time-traveling.
The local citizen told authorities they thought Weathers was making up the story and was acting paranoid, but after convincing Weathers to share a meal at a nearby restaurant, the resident noted Weathers calmed down, the affidavit said.
Accoring to the court information, Weathers then told the person he did not know where he was, had no driver’s license, and had thrown his cell phone out of his vehicle’s window because he thought he was “being tracked” on his drive. He also mentioned shooting his “best friend” again while the citizen was driving Weathers to a local shelter, the local told authorities. Weathers suggested having the Springfield local call a relative in Arkansas to verify the murder of Lowry. The person did and was told by the relative that Lowry was indeed deceased, the affidavit said.
At that point, court records said the local citizen located a police officer, and they then traveled to the Springfield Police Department where Weathers agreed to discuss the killing inside with authorities. While there, Weathers was taken into custody for theft after authorities discovered Weathers’ vehicle, which had been located at a local truck stop, had a stolen license plate. The SPD was then advised that detectives from the Independence County Sheriff’s Department would be in Springfield Wednesday to interview Weathers.
During Wednesday’s interview in Springfield with Sgt. Zach Rawlins and Detective Zach Bailey, Weathers told them he remembered walking upstairs, seeing Lowry sitting in the reclining section, and then grabbing a firearm and shooting Lowry, according to the affidavit. Weathers then said he saw Lowry’s dog and thought “the dog should not be without his best friend,” so Weathers told the officers he shot the dog, the affidavit said.
Weathers’ bond has been set for $750,000. As of Wednesday night, Weathers remained in custody in Springfield. He will have to be extradited to Batesville, according to authorities.
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