Court documents show Camden County homicide victims stabbed to death before fire

UPDATE 9/6: ABC 17 News requested the public arresting documents on Endsley from prosecutors. The documents showed that Endsley has threatened the victims in the past, even threatening to burn down their trailer.

According to the autopsy results, both victims were stabbed to death prior to the fire.

The documents say that Endsley was angry about one of the victim’s bi-sexual lifestyle.

UPDATE 9/3: Authorities arrested Steven Endsley, 54, Saturday afternoon in connection to the death of two women on August 29 in Camdenton.

The victims have been identified as Danielle Smith, 27, and her mother Teresa Jackson, 61.

Detectives said Endsley lived next door to the women. Witnesses told investigators he had been in an ongoing disagreement with Smith over her sexual orientation. The Camden County Sheriff’s Department said the FBI is assisting with the investigation to determine if the murders were a hate crime.

According to the sheriff’s department, two other adult members of Endsley’s family were taken into custody, but have not yet been charged.

Endsley is charged with two counts of 1st Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, one count of 1st Degree Burglary, and one count of 2nd Degree Arson.

He’s currently being held in the Camden County Jail without bond and will appear in court on October 4th.

UPDATE 8/30: Camden County detectives say they have located the person of interest in an arson/homicide investigation.

Authorities say they have interviewed the subject and are collecting evidence relevant to the investigation.

The two bodies found inside the remains of the burned trailer are scheduled for autopsy this week and investigators hope to be able to positively identify the victims soon.

Deputies say one of the presumed victim’s vehicles was missing from the scene upon arrival. That vehicle was apparently found yesterday evening in Laclede County and investigators say they have collected evidence from that vehicle to further the investigation.

UPDATE 3:28pm: Camden County authorities confirm two people were found dead inside a home south of Camdenton Monday.

The Sheriff’s Department says Mid-County Fire Protection District was dispatched to a structure fire in a mobile home community off of Floyds Road just south of the city limits around 5:00 Monday morning.

Deputies say fire crews arrived to find a mobile home fully engulfed. After extinguishing the flames, crews apparently found a n body in the debris.

The Camden County Sheriff’s Office says officers discovered a second body in the debris after detectives arrived on scene. It says they can’t identify either body due to the condition of the bodies upon recovery.

The sheriff’s department says an autopsy is scheduled for this week.

Camden County authorities say they are treating the investigation as a homicide dueto the suspicious circumstances surrounding the fire.

Authorities say theyare actively looking for one person of interest

Deputies say they are are still on the scene and say the investigation is active.

ORIGINAL: Camden County authorities confirm they’re investigating at least one death after a fire south of Camdenton.

Sergeant Scott Hines with the Camden County Sheriff’s Department tells ABC 17 News crews responded to a home on South Business Route 5 just south of the city limits sometime after midnight Monday and before 5:00 am.

Sgt. Hines says once on scene, crews discovered a body in the home. He also says there may be two bodies in the home.

Authorities say right now crews are working to identify the body. They say they believe a vehicle may have been stolen from the home as well.

Sgt. Hines says several agencies are involved in the investigation including the State Fire Marshal’s office.

Sgt. Hines says they are still in the early stages of the investigation and will release more information as they learn more.