KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three bodies found in rural Benton County, Missouri, have been identified as a missing father and his two sons from Greene County, Missouri.
The Greene County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post Monday night that the three individuals — Darrell Peak, 40, and his preschool-aged sons, 4-year-old Kaiden and 3-year-old Mayson — were found near where they were last seen prior to a missing person's report being made.
"It is with much sadness that the Greene County Sheriff’s Office announces a very tragic ending to the Missing Person’s investigation involving Darrell, Mayson and Kaiden Peak," the Facebook post said. "This evening, the three were discovered deceased in Benton County, not far from where they were last observed and contacted by law enforcement in the Warsaw area, 16 hours prior to the missing persons report with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office."
We are saddened to report the identity of the bodies located in rural Benton County have been identified as:
— MSHP Troop A (@MSHPTrooperA) March 2, 2021
Kaiden Peak, 4 years old
Mayson Peak, 3 years old
&
Darrell Peak, 40 years old pic.twitter.com/mFot1MQm4G
The Benton County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that case is being investigated as a murder-suicide, but declined to provide details regarding cause of death.
The Peaks were located inside a shed by a work crew in rural Benton County, which is roughly 100 miles southeast of the Kansas City area.
Troop A @MSHPTrooperDDCC has been requested by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the discovery of 3 bodies located in rural Benton County! #MSHP pic.twitter.com/YtMWETg4zb
— MSHP Troop A (@MSHPTrooperA) March 2, 2021
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Monday that troopers were assisting with the investigation and indicated that Darrell Peak had made suicidal statements in the past.
Darrell Peak and his sons went missing on Thursday, Feb. 25, when he left home with the boys. Greene County, Missouri, investigators said they did not believe he intended to return to the Pleasant Hope, Missouri, home, according to The Associated Press.
The father and sons were last seen around 7 p.m. on Feb. 25 near Warsaw, Missouri, when a Benton County Sheriff's Office deputy believed she spotted the Peaks walking along Missouri 65. They had disappeared when she turned around to make contact.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper had contact with Darrell Peak and his sons, who reportedly were fine at the time, earlier during a motorist stop. Peak declined the trooper's help.
Darrell Peak was charged Monday in Greene County with two counts of parental kidnapping.
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