Authorities in Missouri have arrested three men in connection with the death of 20-year-old Robbie Crites, which was initially ruled an accidental drowning in 2018. The case was reopened last year after new evidence emerged, leading to second-degree murder charges. The suspects allegedly attacked Crites along the Jacks Fork River and disposed of him in the water.
On June 16, 2018, Robbie Crites, a 20-year-old from Missouri, died along the Jacks Fork River in Eminence, a small town in the Ozarks about 130 miles east of Springfield. His death was originally classified as a drowning, but Crites' family remained doubtful. In 2020, his mother expressed determination to his case, telling KYTV, "I will not give up, I will not give up on Robbie. Somehow, some way, I'll get justice for my son."
The Shannon County Sheriff's Office reopened the investigation at the start of 2025. A thorough review of the original evidence and circumstances revealed new information suggesting the death was not accidental. This led to the arrests of Zachary D. Watson, Ronald D. Brawley III, and Austin D. Womack, each charged with second-degree murder.
According to a probable cause statement, Watson is accused of acting with others to assault Crites, bind him with fishing line, and place him in the river. Witnesses reported that Womack confessed multiple times to the killing. About three weeks after the incident, while carrying a 12-pack of beer, Womack allegedly said to one witness, "Yeah, I killed that motherf—, he owed me money for dope."
At a bonfire in Winona, south of Eminence, Womack reportedly detailed the attack: confronting Crites, striking him with a fishing pole, punching and kicking him, stabbing him with a hook and tearing it across his torso, and finally kicking him into the water. Other attendees corroborated these admissions and noted that innocent people had been suspected earlier. Witnesses also placed Watson near the river that day with another man.
Shannon County Sheriff Steven Hogan stated, "A child's life was taken, and for seven and a half years the truth sat buried. That ends today. Our investigators refused to let this case remain closed when the facts did not add up. This office is committed to seeking justice, no matter how much time has passed."
The three men are held in Shannon County jail on $250,000 cash-only bonds. The sheriff's office urges anyone with information on Crites' death to contact investigators.
