Law enforcement arrest West Plains man wanted for kidnapping, assault

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- The Howell County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) says they helped arrest Clayton Schafer, who is accused of kidnapping and domestic assault, in Taney County on Sunday, May 4.

According to HCSO, they received a tip about Schafer's location on Sunday, and Taney County deputies promptly took the suspect into custody at around 1:40 p.m. Officers with the Operation Relentless Pursuit Task Force have been searching for Schafer across southern Missouri since January, HCSO says.

Online court records state a warrant was issued for Schafer in January, charging him with first-degree kidnapping and second-degree domestic assault from an incident in West Plains on Nov. 6, 2024.

According to the probable cause statement, Schafer allegedly bit his girlfriend's left arm and threatened her after she tried to escape from him twice, telling her that if she did not get back in the vehicle, he would assault her. Authorities also noted while speaking to the victim that she was distressed and had a black eye from a previous incident.

Schafer will soon be extradited to Howell County to face his two felony charges.