He was tortured over $185 in lost drug money. Jury finds Kansas couple guilty of murder

Two people accused of taking part in the torture and killing of a man over missing drug money have been found guilty of murder and other crimes by a jury.

Jeff and Heidi Hillard were found guilty of premeditated first-degree murder, rape, two counts of aggravated kidnapping and three counts of aggravated battery. They were found not guilty of aggravated robbery, said Dan Dillon, spokesman for the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

The charges stem from the death of 33-year-old Scottie Goodpaster Jr. on Nov. 6, 2016, and the kidnapping, rape and battery of a woman. Goodpaster and the woman were kidnapped and tortured over $185 in missing drug money for methamphetamine, according to court documents on the case.

According to a police affidavit, this is what the woman told law enforcement happened.

After arriving at a West Kellogg hotel Goodpaster and the woman were staying at, one of the defendants dumped the woman’s purse, rummaged through drawers and stole her cellphone while another struck her, pulled knives and then demanded she leave with them. Goodpaster left “without being threatened.”

The woman was blindfolded, choked, shocked with a stun gun and sexually assaulted before being driven to a residence in the 1300 block of South Meridian in Valley Center, where the Hillards live. She was then taken to a shed, tied up, bitten by a dog, beaten and accused of taking the missing drug money.

When the woman blamed Goodpaster “out of fear,” her attackers turned their attention to him.

Goodpaster was punched, choked, struck with an ax, hammer, wooden board and knife and suffered injuries to his genitals. His attackers then used a staple gun on his face, shoved an object into his mouth and wrapped his head with tape before putting him in a white pickup truck and driving away.

According to the affidavit, an 81-year-old woman called 911 after she saw one of the defendants tackle Goodpaster in the driveway as he tried to escape. Authorities who responded found evidence of the assaults.

Goodpaster’s body was found six days later in a wooded area next to a creek in southwestern Harvey County when Sedgwick County sheriff’s deputies investigated a tip.

Three other people have been charged in connection to the case — one of whom was convicted earlier this year.

Willie Earl Morris was sentenced to life in prison in May after he was found guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery and conspiring to distribute drugs.

Brian Bussart and Alexandria Scott await adjudication of their cases. They were listed as prosecution witnesses in the case against the Hillards. Bussart is charged with murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery and aggravated robbery. Scott is charged with kidnapping and aggravated robbery.

Contributing: Amy Renee Leiker of The Eagle

This story was originally published September 24, 2018 at 8:28 PM.