KSHB 41 News anchor/I-Team reporter Sarah Plake covers issues in Ray County. Send Sarah an email.
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On Thursday night, KSHB 41 News was the first to report that the Ray County prosecutor was removed from office.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed a quo warranto petition to remove Camille Johnston.
LINK | Read the petition
In the filing, the Attorney General's Office said Johnston has a "sustained pattern of misconduct and willful neglect," including relationships with criminal defendants.
One of the relationships mentioned in the petition lines up with a story KSHB 41 I-Team reporter Sarah Plake has worked on for more than two years.
Last September, KSHB 41 uncovered a connection between Johnston and a man named Juan David Gutierrez.
Gutierrez is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2019. The alleged assault happened when Gutierrez was in a relationship with Johnston.
We found out that because of the relationship, the Missouri State Highway Patrol started investigating the sexual assault.
The case lagged for years as authorities were trying to locate Gutierrez because he left Missouri.
Through public records requests, Plake found that Johnston signed the title of her truck over to Gutierrez, who is listed as the buyer with a Mississippi address. That happened after TitleMax released the lien on the truck in 2023.
Our reporting mirrors allegations in the AG's quo warranto petition. It said Johnston drove her personal vehicle to Mississippi in 2023 and gave "J.G." the title to her vehicle.
The AG said the prosecutor visited him "in Mississippi, where he had absconded" and went on vacation with him to Florida.
According to the petition, Johnston deliberately failed to disclose his location.
Police in Ohio arrested and charged Gutierrez in 2024.
His trial was set for the week of July 13 but it was delayed again — the next hearing is set for September.
In 2024, Johnston sued an investigator, Jim Murray, for defamation. Murray was looking into the sexual assault case and accused Johnston of helping Gutierrez "flee."
As part of the defamation case, a number of depositions were conducted. In Johnston's deposition, Murray's attorneys zeroed in on Johnston's contact with Gutierrez during 2020 and 2021, per court records.
According to KSHB 41's previous reporting, that time period lines up with when Gutierrez was under investigation.
The defamation case settled in late June and was dismissed.
Following the quo warranto, Murray's attorney released the following statement that reads, in part:
"Mr. Murray’s involvement in this matter began with one purpose: helping an alleged sexual-assault survivor obtain a fair investigation and an opportunity for justice after years of delay.
"The Attorney General’s quo warranto petition and the Ray County Circuit Court’s preliminary order are significant public developments, and those public records speak for themselves.
"Mr. Murray stands by the good-faith investigative work he performed and will continue to cooperate with lawful authorities and the judicial process."
The relationship with Gutierrez, in addition to two other romantic relationships the AG alleges caused conflicts of interest, were the basis of the court filing against Johnston.
KSHB 41 learned the AG's office had received a number of complaints about Johnston and her office in late spring, though they would not disclose what the complaints were.
Johnston has 10 days to respond to the quo warranto. Chad Gardner, her attorney, told Plake they don't have a public statement due to pending litigation.
Since the story broke on Thursday night, we have reached out to and talked with at least a dozen people.
The Office of the Chief Disciplinary Counsel can't confirm or deny any actions or investigations into Johnston's conduct.
The Missouri Bar said they have nothing to do with this.
The Missouri Supreme Court couldn't provide a comment.
We haven't heard back from the Ray County Circuit Clerk or Presiding Judge Kevin Walden, who rescued himself from Johnston's quo warranto case.
Ray County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Tara Medlin told Plake on Friday she has been appointed by Walden to serve as interim prosecuting attorney.
"This office will make no statements regarding the filings made by Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway against Ms. Johnston," part of Medlin's message to Plake said. "We appreciate the support and patience of the community and our partner agencies as we navigate this transitional period.”
We haven't heard back from any of the Ray County Commissioners.
Ray County Sheriff Gary Blackwell's office said the AG's action doesn't affect their operations.
We didn't hear back from the Richmond Police Department.
KSHB 41 will continue to follow this story.
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