The search for a Jefferson City man who is believed to have been murdered is continuing, but the search for him at the local landfill has been discontinued.
On Tuesday, police said items from the search at Allied Waste Landfill on Moreau Access Road for Christopher Cray, 23, has been sent to the Missouri Highway Patrol for forensic evaluation.
"I would hasten to add that we could go back to the landfill if we get information that indicates we need to go back," said police spokesman Capt. Doug Shoemaker.
The case went from a missing person case to a homicide on July 1 after police determined there was little chance of finding Cray safe. On May 20, Cray was last seen in the area of Schnucks grocery, 1801 Missouri Blvd. His abandoned vehicle was recovered in Jefferson City on May 26.
For almost a month, police have been at the landfill searching for the body, due to information received from one of the persons charged in connection with this case.
Adam Moore-Duncan, 25, Jefferson City, is charged with tampering with physical evidence after he allegedly took a trash cart to the landfill and disposed of the cart in the customer self-serve dropoff. Video shows him entering the landfill at 8:15 a.m. May 22.
Authorities said Cray was placed in the trash bin and disposed of at the landfill.
Moore-Duncan admitted to picking up the trash cart and helping to load it, but denied knowing a body was in the cart when it was dumped.
The other man charged in this case, Richard Love, 25, Jefferson City, is charged with tampering with a witness after he allegedly threatened a person to not tell authorities what they knew about the investigation into Cray's death. Authorities said Love "on more than one occasion from June 13-17 threatened (a witness) during this investigation," including trying to get that person to avoid cooperating with authorities in their investigation into Cray's "disappearance and/or kidnapping and/or homicide."
Detectives have also been investigating other leads through interviews, statements and other sources.
Police officials said due to the nature of the investigation, they cannot release the content or context of that information as it may jeopardize the investigation.
Last week, Chief Roger Schroeder said officers and detectives have gathered "substantial circumstantial evidence and we are comfortable we are doing every reasonable effort to getting charges filed in this case."
Authorities said Tuesday they are maintaining constant contact with Cray's family and will continue to do so throughout the investigation.
"As of now, there is no timeframe for the case's completion, and we will continue to investigate all existing and new leads utilizing detectives, Community Action Team members and narcotics officers," said Shoemaker.