Joseph Arbeiter Faces Murder Charges

Joseph Arbeiter will face first degree murder charges after a grand jury indictment this morning (May 13). Pettis County Sheriff Kevin Bond, Pettis County Prosecutor Jeff Mittelhauser and Pettis County Coroner Robert “Skip” Smith conducted a press conference on the Mandy Black Homicide investigation and announced the charges in a press conference this morning.

Black’s body was found Sunday, May 4, by people at a trailer park on Goodwill Chapel Road South of Sedalia. Arbeiter, who was in the Pettis County Jail on other charges, has now been charged with the murder, and dismemberment of 35-year-old Mandy Black. Sheriff Bond said the arms of the victim were discovered in a metal box outside the residence by the owners of the trailer as they were cleaning it out presumably to ready it for rental.

Mittelhauser took the case to the Grand Jury this (Tuesday) morning obtaining a Grand Jury Indictment against Arbeiter. Coroner Robert “Skip” Smith said the autopsy confirmed the victim died as a result of multiple stab wounds to the chest, and the death occurred either the last of 2013 or the first of 2014. In answer to a question from the media, Sheriff Bond said dismemberment took place well after the woman’s death presumably to hide the evidence. Bond also thanked all those who helped make the case a success after more than 400 hours of investigation.

Here is the whole press release as issued by Pettis County Sheriff Bond, this morning.

Charges Filed In the Mandy Black Homicide Investigation
Late Monday afternoon, sheriff’s detectives forwarded a warrant application to the Pettis County Prosecuting Attorney seeking murder charges in the death of Mandy Black against Joseph F. Arbeiter, former resident of the trailer where a portion of her remains were found Sunday, May 4^th.
Based on the warrant application, Judge Robert Liston issued a no bond first degree murder warrant against Joseph Arbeiter, who was previously being held on other charges in the Pettis County Jail. This morning, Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Mittelauser presented the case to the Grand Jury, also obtaining a Grand Jury Indictment against Mr. Arbeiter in the case.
For over a week now, deputies and detectives with the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office have been diligently investigating discovery of human remains at the Goodwill Chapel Trailer Park, located in south central Pettis County. After being called to the scene by residents, deputies located two human arms in a metal box near a residence, and later additional portions of a dismembered body in several shallow graves a short distance away. As indicated in prior news releases and interviews, all remains are from a single victim.
Last Thursday, sheriff’s deputies were able to positively identify the victim in this crime as 35 year old Mandy Black of Marshall. Autopsy results confirmed that she died as a result of stab wounds to the chest several months ago, believed to be around the first of the year.
Over 400 man hours of work has been performed so far on this case to bring it to a successful conclusion. Sheriff Kevin Bond expresses his appreciation to the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Crash Investigation Team and the Division of Drug and Crime Control for their technical assistance in this investigation. He also credits the expertise and professionalism of his staff to successfully solve this difficult investigation.