By Laura Bauer
The Kansas City Star
CHRISTIAN COUNTY, Mo. — As one southwest Missouri sheriff’s department is grieving the loss of two deputies, two others — who one of the slain deputies was trying to help when he was killed — are recovering after surgery.
In a news release Tuesday afternoon, Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole spoke of the two who were killed — Deputy Gabriel Ramirez, 30, and Deputy Michael Hislope, 40, — and said they “answered the call to protect others.”
“Their courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment to Christian County will never be forgotten,” Cole said in an emailed news release.
Two other deputies — Christian County Deputy Joshua Wahl and Webster County Deputy Austin McCall — were injured early Tuesday during a shootout with Richard Dean Bird, 45, of Stone County.
“Both deputies underwent surgery and are currently recovering in stable condition,” Cole said.
Bird is suspected of killing Ramirez during a traffic stop just around 4 p.m. Monday in Highlandville, about 190 miles southeast of Kansas City. After that shooting, authorities identified a suspect vehicle and issued a Blue Alert asking the public’s helping in finding it. Law enforcement also launched the extensive manhunt.
Hours into the search for Bird, authorities located him in a wooded area near Highway 248 in nearby Stone County.
“During the encounter, the suspect opened fire on responding officers, striking Deputy Wahl and Deputy McCall,” Cole said in the release. “Deputy Hislope was fatally wounded while attempting to assist the injured deputies.”
Law enforcement at the scene, ultimately rescued the wounded deputies and continued to exchange gunfire with Bird, who was fatally shot.
Tuesday afternoon’s release said the Sheriff’s Critical Incident Team (SCIT) is leading the ongoing investigation.
Recently served with warrant
At the time of initial deputy’s fatal shooting Monday and subsequent manhunt, Bird was out on $50,000 bond related to a new offense he’s accused of, according to an online Missouri court database.
In recent days, he was served with an arrest warrant in relation to a burglary involving a missing antique safe with a collection of uncirculated coins inside, records show.
A probable cause affidavit was filed in that case Monday — the same day Ramirez was shot — according to the online database. Bird had been charged with second-degree burglary, stealing of $750 or more and tampering with physical evidence in connection with an incident that occurred Feb. 15.
Conditions of the bond included Bird could not enter the victim’s premises or have any contact with the victim. Other conditions included that he “not tamper with victim or witness in the case, directly or through a 3rd party” and not possess or consume alcohol or illegal drugs and he “shall not possess firearms” and “shall not commit any new offenses.”
The warrant for his arrest was dated Feb. 21, which was Saturday.
Bird has a lengthy criminal history in both Missouri and Kansas, online court records from each state show.
Criminal record in Kansas City area
In September 2014, Bird was arrested and charged for allegedly firing shots at a Johnson County, Kansas, sheriff’s deputy investigating a theft at a construction site at 191st Street and State Line Road. At the time, Bird lived in Belton.
According to an article in The Star after his arrest, Bird was accused of firing “multiple shots from a rifle at the deputy, who was not hit.”
At that time, he was charged with attempted first-degree murder and theft and his bond initially was set at $1 million.
In the end, Bird pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was sentenced in 2016 on five counts stemming from that September 2014 incident.
He was last released from the Kansas Department of Corrections in April 2023, online records from that agency said.
Less than a year later, he was charged in Taney County, Missouri , with second-degree burglary and first-degree trespassing. He was accused of “forcibly entering an inhabitable structure” in March 2024 and “was found with gloves, a flashlight, and a knife,” court records show.
At that time, a probable cause statement describing the charges against him said he was a “danger to the community or to any other person.”
“Richard has been convicted of Burglary and Receiving Stolen Property (03/19/2003), Tampering (02/10/20114), Stealing MV (08/09/2021), Tampering (10/06/2022), and Theft out of Kansas (05/31/2016),” the affidavit said. “There are reasonable grounds to believe that the defendant will not appear upon a summons because: Richard has had numerous charges for fleeing/resisting as well as a probation violation.”
Later in 2024, he was sentenced to a fine of $200 and court costs on each of the two new counts.
The Star’s Robert A. Cronkleton contributed reporting.
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