GREENVILLE — A Williamsville man recently was arraigned and had his bond reduced after being charged in connection with the murder of his wife who has been missing since February 2017.
Craig Allen Wood, 43, is charged with the Class A felonies of first-degree murder and first-degree assault in connection with the disappearance of Rebecca “Becky” Alsup.
Wood is accused of causing the death of “Rebecca J. Alsup-Wood by striking her in the head with an ashtray” on Feb. 17, 2017.
Wood is further accused of causing serious physical injury to Alsup-Wood by “injecting ‘bong’ water into both of her legs” on Aug. 16, 2016, and such conduct was a substantial step toward attempting to kill her.
The 34-year-old reportedly was hospitalized, and her legs were amputated in 2016.
After being arraigned earlier last week by Associate Circuit Judge Christina Kime, the 43-year-old again appeared before Kime on Thursday before for a bond hearing.
Kime, according to Casenet, reduced Wood’s bond to $500,000 cash and ordered he appear at 1 p.m. Sept. 17 for a preliminary hearing on his charges.
The charges against Wood stem from an investigation by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Alsup-Wood was last seen by witnesses on Feb. 17, 2017, with her husband at their Williamsville home, according to patrol Trooper Shannon Sitton’s probable-cause affidavit. The couple reportedly lived in a camper trailer on his parent’s property.
Alsup-Wood, who had an extensive medical history and required assistance with daily activities, was reported missing by her sister, Sitton said.
On March 23, 2017, Sitton said, Wood “voluntarily met” with him to talk about his wife’s disappearance.
Sitton said Wood denied knowing who would want to harm his wife and reported he last saw her on Feb. 13, 2017, at their home.
When asked what went on that night, “he stated ‘she was being an -------,’” Sitton said. “Wood stated sometime after midnight, Feb. 14, 2017, he left the property by himself, in his own vehicle.
“Wood stated he went to Williamsville and met up with a girl and rode around, then went back to his mom’s house, which is located on the same 10 acres as the camper where he left Alsup,” Sitton said.
Wood reported arriving at about 8 a.m. at his mom’s house, where he laid down and then “woke up” on the morning of Feb. 16, 2017.
When Wood went to the camper, Sitton said, he reported Alsup-Wood was not there nor were her legs, walker or wheelchair. Some of her personal belongings reportedly remained.
Sitton said Wood reported he tried to call his wife’s cellphone, but the calls went to voice mail.
Alsup-Wood, according to Wood’s statement, was on Facebook all the time, but he had not seen any activity from her.
Before refusing to answer any more questions without any attorney present, Sitton said, Wood reported he didn’t report his wife missing because “‘I didn’t think she was missing.’”
Wood said his wife was alive the last time he saw her, Sitton said.
During the investigation, Sitton said, officers spoke to several witnesses.
One witness, Sitton said, reported he knew Wood “‘killed Becky’ … The witness stated he was at Woods’ house, and Wood asked him if he could shoot.”
Sitton said the witness further reported Wood offered him three vehicles, a motorcycle and half of the money from Alsup’s life insurance policy if he would kill her.
“Wood also asked him what would happen if ‘bong’ water from a meth pipe was injected into someone’s legs,” Sitton said. “The witness stated he saw Wood with some bottles filled with bong water.
“The witness told Craig Wood he thought it would eventually kill them.”
Not long after that conversation, the witness told Sitton Alsup-Wood was hospitalized and her legs amputated.
Later, Wood allegedly told the witness he had “gotten Alsup ‘high’ on drugs and then injected her with bong water. Wood stated, ‘It didn’t kill the -----.’
“Wood told the witness there were numerous places they could hide the body without it being found.”
Medical records, Sitton said, showed Alsup-Wood was admitted to a Cape Girardeau hospital on Aug. 16, 2016, and her legs were amputated on Sept. 7, 2016.
Sitton said the causes of her medical condition were identified as sepsis and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Drug screens reportedly were positive for methamphetamine.
Sitton said Alsup-Wood also had abrasions, bruising, a laceration and rash on her skin.
Sitton said another witness reported having been contacted by Alsup-Wood via Facebook messenger and asked to come visit her.
When the witness arrived on the afternoon of Feb. 17, 2017, “Alsup was shaking and ‘freaking out’ because Craig had stolen some money from her,” Sitton said. “… Alsup told her that Craig had pulled her (Alsup) off the bed by using her hair.
“The witness stated she saw bruises on Alsup’s left cheek and left arm.”
Alsup-Wood, according to the witness’ statement, asked to use her phone due to Wood allegedly damaging her phone’s SIM card.
“Rebecca told the person on the phone that Craig Wood had stolen her money and that she was really scared,” Sitton said.
When the witness returned three days later, Sitton said, she found Alsup gone, but Wood and his ex-wife at the camper.
In another interview, Sitton said, a witness reported he was at Wood’s residence on the evening of Feb. 17, 2017, while Alsup was there, but when he returned the next morning, she was gone.
“… he saw Alsup’s walker in a burn barrel, and it was still burning,” Sitton said. “He also saw bags and backpacks sitting on the concrete … He believed the bags contained Rebecca’s items, but he didn’t not look to verify.”
According to Sitton, two Wayne County Jail inmates, who had been housed on the same cell block as Wood, were interviewed.
One reported hearing Wood crying one night, saying “‘I shouldn’t have done it,’” Sitton said.
The other, he said, reported Wood had been sitting on his bunk in the middle of the night, crying when he heard Wood say, “‘I shouldn’t have killed you.’ … The witness stated (Wood) was talking about ’Becky.’
“The witness also stated Wood said, ‘If they find her, it’s not my fault’ and ‘I’m sorry, forgive me.’”
In March, Sitton said, he conducted additional interviews, including with a witness who reported having received a call from Alsup-Wood in which “she told him she was in trouble and wanted (him) to come get her.
“She told him ‘Ragsby,’ aka Craig Wood, had been caught with some drugs and wanted Alsup to be an informant.”
Alsup-Wood, according to the witness, reported Wood was “going to kill her if she didn’t become a ‘snitch.’”
Sitton said the witness reported driving from Kansas City, but not finding Alsup-Wood when he arrived at Williamsville.
Sitton said the man further reported his son was around when Alsup-Wood went missing.
“The witness stated he heard that Craig Wood forced his son to help get rid of Alsup’s body,” Sitton said. “(He) stated he heard that Alsup was hit in the head with an ashtray at Craig Wood’s home.
“Alsup’s body was then loaded into the trunk of his son’s vehicle to be disposed of. Craig Wood forced his son to drive the vehicle with Alsup’s body to an unknown location.”
Sitton said the man’s son was interviewed, and he reported his vehicle was used by “different individuals, and when it was returned to him, there was blood and hair inside of the vehicle.”
The son, according to Sitton, refused to name who used his vehicle, but admitted to cleaning it and selling it.