Authorities say Quintin P. O’Dell killed Alissa Shippert, nearly disemboweled Ferrelview woman

Quintin P. O’Dell was brought in for questioning by the Platte County Sheriff’s Department on Jan. 5 in regards to a brutal Dec. 26 assault of a Ferrelview woman that left her fighting for her life. In the hours that followed, as Jan. 5 gave way to Jan. 6, Platte County authorities say that O’Dell, 22, of Platte City, admitted he sliced open the Ferrelview victim with a razor and nearly disemboweled her. They also say that O’Dell admitted that he killed Alissa Shippert on the banks of the Platte River, just east of Platte City, last May.

On Jan. 7, Platte County Sheriff Richard Anderson and Prosecutor Eric Zahnd held a joint press conference at the Platte Resource Center near KCI Airport to announce O’Dell had been charged with first degree murder and armed criminal action in the Shippert killing and first degree assault and armed criminal action for the Ferrelview assault. The charges against O’Dell seemingly bring to an end a months-long investigation that has shocked and frustrated the Platte City community.

“In the months since she was killed, Alissa Shippert’s murder has been the highest priority of the Sheriff’s Department,” Anderson said during his opening remarks. “And it will continue to remain on the front burner for our department until we bring the killer to justice. Through dogged police work, we were able to connect these two cases.”

Anderson then read from a probable cause statement filed by the Sheriff’s Department. Readers should note that some of the following information from the probable cause statement is disturbing.

To read the entire story, see The Platte County Citizen's Jan. 11, 2012 issue.