Clinton Police Officer Killed: 2nd Man Charged

CLINTON, MO — A man has been charged with dumping the rifle used last weekend to kill Clinton police Officer Gary Michael.

William Noble, 35, of Clinton was arrested Thursday and charged with felony tampering with evidence, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said.

During the course of an interview, investigators determined that Noble had disposed of the gun believed to have been used in Michael's shooting death Sunday, Lowe said. Lowe earlier said a gun was recovered in a creek about two miles north of Clinton. He did not specify the style of the rifle found or how investigators came to find it. (For more information on this and other Across Missouri stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Ian McCarthy, 39, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in Michael's death. He was arrested late Tuesday after a two-day manhunt. The relationship between McCarthy and Noble remains unclear, Lowe said.

McCarthy's public defender, Alice Wasson, told The Associated Press a not guilty plea will be entered on McCarthy's behalf on Friday.

Michael, 37, was on the force less than a year when he was slain. He was the first police officer killed in the line of duty in Clinton, a town of about 9,000 people about 75 miles southeast of Kansas City.

Photo credit: Missouri State Highway Patrol via AP (Photo shows Ian McCarthy. Patch has reached out to authorities for a photo of William Noble)