Holt County Sheriff Scott Wedlock
(AP) – Authorities have identified remains found in a northwest Missouri opera house as those of the property owner, Kenneth Rainwater.
The body was found three days after fire destroyed the Maitland Opera House in Holt County last August.
Holt County Sheriff Scott Wedlock says DNA testing confirmed late Friday that the remains were those of the 66-year-old Rainwater.
Rainwater was charged last May with three counts of possession of child pornography. He went missing shortly after being released on bond.
Two notes found in Rainwater’s vehicle at the fire discussed his military explosive experience and said he intended to leave the country because he couldn’t get a fair trial.
Wedlock says the cause of Rainwater’s death, and the cause of the fire, were not determined.