OVERLAND PARK, KAN -
Three men were charged Tuesday in the murder of Keighley Ann Alyea, 18. Alyea's body was found Monday evening in a grassy field near 235th Street and K Hwy in Rural Cass County near Harrisonville, Mo. Overland Park, Kan. police recovered her body around 9:30 p.m.
Joseph Mattox, 21; Gerald Calbeck, 18; and Dustin Hilt, 18, were charged with first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery. Bond was set at $2 million. Their next court date was set for Oct. 15.
Friends of Alyea, said they aren't surprised Hilt has been named a suspect. Hilt and Alyea were said to have dated for a couple of years. Both had each other's names tattooed on their bodies. But friends say theirs was a tumultuous relationship.
"I don't know how many times she's called me because Dustin had hit her, or her and Dustin had gotten into a huge argument and it got a little confrontational," said Jaymes Beebe, ex-boyfriend. "It was not a good relationship. He got her hooked on drugs really bad. Everybody tried to help her. She got clean when she stopped talking to him."
Another friend, who didn't want to be identified, said Hilt could be violent.
"He's energetic. Sometimes mean, yeah, he could get mean," she said.
Hilt's MySpace page shows pictures of him drinking alcohol and holding a gun. Some of the captions have racial slurs.
Alyea had been missing for six days when she was found. She was last seen at her apartment around midnight, Tuesday, Sept. 29, in Overland Park. Her mother, Kelley Bastel, said she had taken in a friend, Jessika Beebe, because Jessika had gotten into a fight with her brother, James Beebe. When Jessika woke up in the morning, Alyea was gone.
On Sunday, police found Alyea's car in an apartment parking lot at 62nd and Foster in Overland Park. Over the weekend police questioned both Hilt and Beebe in Alyea's disappearance. Beebe has since been cleared of any wrong doing.
On Monday, friends and family of Alyea began passing out 4,000 flyers seeking information about the missing teen near the apartments where police found her car on Monday. At the time, her parents remained convinced that someone could help find their daughter alive.
"Police have made it very clear they don't care who comes forth with information. Even if that person has a warrant or anything, don't be scared to come forward and give us that information," said James "Pat" Hayes, father.
Alyea's parents feared foul play because they said her cellphone hadn't been used since she disappeared, and it had been turned off. Her mother said Alyea would send multiple text messages every day.
"It's just not like Keighley to fall off the face of the earth," she said. "I mean, to not call anyone. She's one of the people, she can't be alone. She has to have someone sleep with her at night. She has to be around people."
Alyea's family has established a memorial fund. If you'd like to contribute, donations are being accepted at any Commerce Bank.
Joseph Mattox, 21; Gerald Calbeck, 18; and Dustin Hilt, 18, were charged with first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery. Bond was set at $2 million. Their next court date was set for Oct. 15.
Friends of Alyea, said they aren't surprised Hilt has been named a suspect. Hilt and Alyea were said to have dated for a couple of years. Both had each other's names tattooed on their bodies. But friends say theirs was a tumultuous relationship.
"I don't know how many times she's called me because Dustin had hit her, or her and Dustin had gotten into a huge argument and it got a little confrontational," said Jaymes Beebe, ex-boyfriend. "It was not a good relationship. He got her hooked on drugs really bad. Everybody tried to help her. She got clean when she stopped talking to him."
Another friend, who didn't want to be identified, said Hilt could be violent.
"He's energetic. Sometimes mean, yeah, he could get mean," she said.
Hilt's MySpace page shows pictures of him drinking alcohol and holding a gun. Some of the captions have racial slurs.
Alyea had been missing for six days when she was found. She was last seen at her apartment around midnight, Tuesday, Sept. 29, in Overland Park. Her mother, Kelley Bastel, said she had taken in a friend, Jessika Beebe, because Jessika had gotten into a fight with her brother, James Beebe. When Jessika woke up in the morning, Alyea was gone.
On Sunday, police found Alyea's car in an apartment parking lot at 62nd and Foster in Overland Park. Over the weekend police questioned both Hilt and Beebe in Alyea's disappearance. Beebe has since been cleared of any wrong doing.
On Monday, friends and family of Alyea began passing out 4,000 flyers seeking information about the missing teen near the apartments where police found her car on Monday. At the time, her parents remained convinced that someone could help find their daughter alive.
"Police have made it very clear they don't care who comes forth with information. Even if that person has a warrant or anything, don't be scared to come forward and give us that information," said James "Pat" Hayes, father.
Alyea's parents feared foul play because they said her cellphone hadn't been used since she disappeared, and it had been turned off. Her mother said Alyea would send multiple text messages every day.
"It's just not like Keighley to fall off the face of the earth," she said. "I mean, to not call anyone. She's one of the people, she can't be alone. She has to have someone sleep with her at night. She has to be around people."
Alyea's family has established a memorial fund. If you'd like to contribute, donations are being accepted at any Commerce Bank.
