The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has reported a reduction in nearly all major crimes over the last three years throughout most of the county.
The Sheriff’s Office, which covers approximately 664 square miles, recently released its 2025 crime statistics, which show reductions in both violent and property crimes.
The report shows assaults dropped to 826 last year after the Sheriff’s Office reported 851 assaults in 2024 and 862 in 2023. The number of domestic violence cases also declined with 1,032 in 2025 after having 1,066 in 2024 and 1,119 in 2023.
The Sheriff’s Office also reported reduced numbers for burglary cases with 170 last year, down from 258 in 2024 and 310 in 2023. Larcenies also decreased to 754 in 2025 after there were 904 cases in 2024 and 980 in 2023.
Motor vehicle thefts also went down with 156 cases reported last year after having 222 in 2024 and 258 in 2023.
The cities of Arnold, Byrnes Mill, De Soto and Festus also reported declines in most crime categories over the last three years.
“The data reflects a clear downward trend in both violent and property crime, with the most notable improvements occurring in the offenses that most directly impact residents’ sense of safety, such as burglary, vehicle theft and assaults,” Sheriff Dave Marshak said. “While no community is immune from crime, the three-year trend demonstrates sustained progress and a safer environment for residents, businesses and visitors.”
Homicides
There were five homicides reported in Jefferson County last year, down from seven homicides in 2024. The Sheriff’s Office investigated one homicide in 2023.
Four homicides were reported in unincorporated Jefferson County, and one was reported in Festus. One of the county’s homicides was an officer-involved shooting.
“Homicides remained isolated incidents rather than a recurring pattern,” Marshak said.
The following is a look at the five homicide investigations from 2025.
■ Jan. 20: Caleb Hawkins allegedly shot and killed Joel Kessler, 45, of Imperial at Hawkins’ home in the 4400 block of Victoria Station Road north of De Soto. The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Hawkins with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Hawkins reportedly told investigators he believed Kessler was exuding “wickedness” before he shot him. A case review hearing was scheduled March 3 in Jefferson County Court, according to court records.
■ March 4: Timothy L. Johnston, 39, of Cedar Hill was shot and killed by deputies in the 8100 block of Old Hwy. 21 north of Hillsboro. Deputies shot Johnston after he allegedly fired a gun at them following hours of negotiation outside the home. Deputies were called to the home because Johnston, who had no connections to the residents, was banging on the door. When deputies arrived, Johnston pointed a handgun at his own head, and deputies with crisis intervention training and members of the Sheriff’s Office Crisis Negotiation Team and the Mental Health Crisis Response Team were called to the area. No criminal charges were filed against the deputies.
■ April 25: Kenneth P. Pautler allegedly shot and killed his wife, Karen Pautler, 75, at their home on Frontier Trail in the Jefferson County portion of Fenton. He told investigators his wife suffered from mental health issues and that he did not want her to die in a nursing home. He was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. A jury trial is scheduled to begin April 20, court documents show.
■ Aug. 30: Investigators say Stacy Jay-Malcom was responsible for her husband’s death in the 8000 block of Canyon Lane in Dittmer. Robert Malcom, 60, was found dead on Aug. 30 at the home. Stacy Jay-Malcom, 56, was found dead Sept. 7 on private property in a wooded area in the 8900 block of Hwy. WW in Dittmer. Marshak said Robert Malcom was shot, and deputies were unable to located Stacy Jay-Malcom until the property owner contacted the Sheriff’s Office after finding her body about a week after Robert Malcom’s death.
■ Nov. 7: Hailey Jennings, 22, was shot and killed by her boyfriend in her home on Sunshine Drive in Festus. The man then shot and killed himself. State Rep. Elizabeth Fuchs, who is Jennings’ cousin and represents parts of St. Louis, filed a bill Feb. 11 filed a bill calling for comprehensive gun and firearm reform legislation, the first component of which will be named “Hailey’s Law.” The legislation will authorize family members or members of a household to petition the court for a temporary order of protection to remove firearms from the home when an individual is experiencing extreme mental health decline and poses a credible risk.
Sheriff’s Office
Marshak said the Sheriff’s Office has increased its investigative capacity by investing in personnel, training, technology and analytical software to help the department combat crime.
“Those investments allow us to identify repeat offenders more quickly, build stronger cases and disrupt criminal activity earlier,” he said. “Success comes from every part of the justice system working in coordination, combined with a proactive law enforcement that focuses on accountability, prevention and follow-through.”
Marshak said property crimes, such as burglaries, larcenies and vehicle thefts, have dropped thanks to the Sheriff’s Office and Prosecuting Attorney’s Office taking a more assertive approach toward repeat offenders.
“When individuals who commit repeated burglaries or thefts are no longer cycling in and out of custody, the impact on overall property crime is measurable,” he said. “Consistent enforcement, stronger case preparation, and meaningful follow-through in court all contribute to that decline.”
Marshak said he was happy to see violent crimes, such as assault and robbery, continue to fall in the county.
“Reductions in violent crime categories are especially significant because they directly impact personal safety and quality of life,” he said. “When fewer people are victimized by assault, robbery or serious violence, that represents meaningful progress.”
Marshak said the Sheriff’s Office will focus on ongoing training, enhancing investigative technology and analytical capabilities, strengthening partnerships with prosecutors and regional partners, and expanding proactive efforts that identify repeat offenders early to continue the downward crime trend.
“Even with declining numbers, our responsibility is to focus on preventing the next victim,” he said. “Public safety requires sustained effort, accountability and collaboration across the justice system. The goal is not simply lower statistics. It is about long-term stability and safety for the people who live and work in Jefferson County.”
Arnold
The Arnold Police reported small dips in most crimes against people over the last two years.
The department said there were 22 sexual assaults in 2025 after 23 were reported in 2024; felony assaults fell to 35 from 39; and misdemeanor assaults slid to 124 from 126. The city had four robberies in 2025; three were reported in 2024.
“Our Crime Suppression Unit focuses on high-visibility patrols in areas where crime is most likely to occur, and our Business Resource Officers Unit works closely with local businesses to prevent incidents before they happen,” Chief Brian Carroll said. “Additionally, we’ve invested in technology such as Flock (license-plate) cameras, which allow us to track vehicles involved in crimes and respond faster. These combined efforts have made a measurable impact on reducing crimes against persons.”
Property crimes also fell slightly in the city with burglaries dropping to 12 in 2025 after there were 17 in 2024; vehicle thefts fell to 23 from 29; thefts from buildings dropped to nine from 25; and shoplifting decreased to 235 from 354.
“Property crime reduction is largely due to a combination of technology and community engagement,” Carroll said. “We also increased patrols in neighborhoods and commercial areas, and our Business Resource Officers have worked to improve security measures with local businesses.”
Carroll said he was happy to see narcotics violations fall to 70 in 2025 from 86 in 2024. He said the downward trend is due to a combination of enforcement and education.
“Our officers have worked hard to identify and dismantle certain drug networks,” he said. “Additionally, partnerships with other task forces and the use of technology have made it harder for narcotics activity to go undetected. These combined efforts are paying off.”
Carroll said he plans to increase the department’s education effort by having more officers become certified to teach the DARE program.
“We believe this will further reduce drug-related issues in the future,” he said.
Byrnes Mill
The Byrnes Mill Police reported declines in sexual assaults, assaults, domestic violence cases and larcenies.
There were no reports of sexual assaults in 2025 after there were two in 2024; assaults fell to six from 12; domestic violence cases dropped to eight from 19, and larcenies dipped to four from 11. The city did see more burglaries, six in 2025 after four in 2024, but it has not had a homicide or robbery in the last three years.
“I feel that our involvement in community events and increased patrols in our neighborhoods have had a positive effect in reducing these numbers,” Chief Frank T. Selvaggio said. “I would still like to see all these numbers continue to decline.
“The number of domestic violence calls is certainly concerning, even though those numbers have significantly decreased. Our continued intervention with families when minor incidents occur has proven to reduce domestic calls.”
Byrnes Mill Police did report nearly double the number of DWI arrests last year than it did in 2024. The department had 35 last year after only having 19 the previous year.
“Our participation in obtaining enforcement grants from MoDOT and our commitment to working with MADD are certainly responsible for this increase,” Selvaggio said. “We also are making a commitment to reduce serious injury and fatal crashes on Highway 30.”
De Soto
De Soto Police reported robberies fell to zero last year after having four in 2024, and larcenies dipped to 199 in 2025 after having 203 the previous year.
“Larcenies is the highest (crime category),” Capt. Jeff Wynn said. “We have a Walmart, and as they continue at getting better spotting people shoplifting, we are going to receive more (larceny reports). As prices continue to rise, I would expect them to catch more people shoplifting as well.
“I feel our officers are doing a fantastic job of working with (Walmart) to track down people.”
De Soto Police did report an increase in assaults, rising to 162 in 2025 after having 151 in 2024, but domestic violence cases dropped to 76 from 100.
“I think officers are doing a better job explaining the different resources and things that are out there,” Wynn said of declining domestic violence cases.
Wynn said the De Soto Police are taking advantage of tools, such as drones and Flock license-plate reading cameras, to solve crimes, and he said there has been a positive cultural shift in the department that is helping combat crime throughout the city.
Wynn said he believes De Soto is safe, and he is basing that partly on where the department’s officers live.
“We have several officers who work for us who live in this town and raise their families here,” Wynn said. “For officers who are out there seeing crime and for them to want to live in this community speaks volumes for this town.”
Festus
The Festus Police did see a rise in larcenies, domestic violence cases and burglaries from 2024 to 2025, but larcenies and domestic violence cases were lower than two years ago.
Larcenies rose to 127 last year after there were 110 in 2024 and 152 in 2023, and domestic violence cases went up to 94 in 2025 after there were 82 in 2024 and 115 in 2023.
Burglaries ballooned to 20 last year after there were 10 in 2024 and 11 in 2023.
“The majority of those were residential burglaries,” Chief Doug Wendel said. “We are trying to step up our neighborhood patrols in an effort to reduce these numbers in 2026.”
Festus Police also reported a dramatic increase in DWI arrests. The department had 89 last year after recording 38 in 2024 and 30 in 2023.
Wendel said the department hired an officer who had worked in the Sheriff’s Office DWI unit in February 2025, and the Festus Police received a state grant in October to create a full-time DWI-enforcement position.
“Enforcing DWI laws is extremely important in the city of Festus,” Wendel said. “An intoxicated driver on our city streets could seriously injure or kill another driver in an instant. By removing drunk drivers from the roadway, it makes the entire community safer.
“We would like to get to point of zero drunk drivers on our roadways and are trying to work our way toward that. The message I would like to pass along is if you are going to go out drinking, arrange for a sober driver to get you home.”
Festus Police also reported a continued decline in vehicle thefts with 13 last year after having 17 in 2024 and 23 in 2025.
“We had fewer stolen vehicles in the colder months and hope people are listening and not leaving their vehicles running unattended in cold weather,” Wendel said.