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A fugitive is wanted for the murder of an Arkansas State Highway Patrolman.  Timothy Coombs Suspect: Gender: Male CASE DETAILS On September 16, 1994, Timothy Coombs shot State Highway Patrolman, Bob Harper, in his Anderson, Missouri, home. According to police, Coombs was a member of a religious group known as the Freemen.  Joos’s farm The Freemen exist on the farthest right fringe of the political spectrum. While they believe they are the “true Americans,” police call them domestic terrorists. Author, Kenneth Stern describes the Freemen’s beliefs:
In the case of Robert Joos, a self-styled Freeman minister, that philosophy apparently led him to issue fake legal documents. Joos was convicted of drafting a fake court order for a parishioner who had been arrested for a minor traffic offense.  Weapons found at Joos’s farm For nine years, Joos remained free while he contested the conviction–until a new Prosecuting Attorney ordered the Highway Patrol to bring him in. Sergeant Parks of the Missouri State Highway Patrol explains:
When Sergeant Steve Dorsey and Corporal Bob Harper made the arrest, Joos resisted and had to be forcibly taken in. Robert Joos described the arrest:
Robert Joos was arrested on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and resisting arrest. Then, three months later, one of the arresting officers, Corporal Bob Harper, became the target of a sniper. Bob’s wife, Kay Harper, was at home the day of the shooting:
 Robert Joos It was a miracle that Bob Harper survived. The bullet missed his heart by just one sixteenth of an inch. The next day, investigators recovered a vital piece of evidence: a shell form the gun used to shoot Bob Harper. Sergeant Parks explains how Joos was targeted for the crime:
When officers went to the Joos’ farm to speak with his girlfriend, they were confronted by James Wilson, a resident of Arkansas. According to police, Wilson said that church elders were training snipers to avenge violations against their religion. The next day, police called Arkansas authorities to inquire about James Wilson. They discovered that his real name was Timothy Coombs. By the time police got a search warrant for the Joos farm, Coombs was gone. But investigators did find a huge arsenal – pistols, rifles and more than 40 sticks of dynamite. Police also learned that Coombs had previously served time on weapons charges. That same day, investigators went to Timothy Coombs’ own farm in Witt’s Springs, Arkansas. They talked to Coombs’ next-door neighbor. He told them that his horse had been shot and gave them the bullet he had recovered. The neighbor suspected Combs had fired it during target practice. According to authorities, a search of Coombs’ property turned up shell casings that reportedly matched the casing found outside Bob Harper’s kitchen window. The gun the shell casings came from, an SKS rifle, was traced back to Robert Joos. Robert Joos says he had nothing to do with the attack on Bob Harper:
So far, only Timothy Coombs has been charged in the shooting of Trooper Bob Harper. Authorities believe he has gone underground and is probably being harbored by members of a right wing militia group. Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season eight with Robert Stack and in season one with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu. SUBMIT A TIP |
Sooner State Girl
Near where I used to live, there is a Christian Identity enclave/village called Elohim City. It is by the Oklahoma/Arkansas border. Rumor has it Timothy McVey was on his way there after bombing the federal building. Timothy Coombs is said to be associated with the Christian Identity movement and was also said to be associated with a murderer named Chevie Kehoe. Kehoe was associated with the Christian Identity movement and with Elohim City. If Timothy Coombs is connected there, he may be sheltered at Elohim City. Just a thought.
David
The lead on this page reads, “A fugitive is wanted for the murder of an Arkansas State Highway Patrolman” but Coombs is wanted for shooting a Missouri Highway Patrol Trooper. Arkansas and Missouri are close but not the same.
Fish
The little weasel needs to be hung by the neck. A child molester and an attempted murderer needs not breathe the same air as good Americans.
J.F.
Just watched the episode featuring this case. I was horrified to learn he had not been caught by now. I really hope someone finds that POS or puts an end to the group he was involved with.
Shela
I was right there when he killed the little girl and I was playing on the side walk and seen him just put the gun to her head now that I see him again i just started crying because the little girl was not ready to die
Tiffany
I’m his stepdaughter I can tell you one thing that isn’t mentioned about him is the fact that he is a child molester. I know because I am one of his victims so to all those people who think they were protecting a good man with a cause think again.
Bill Blaski
It’s hard to believe that Tim has not been found. Most of the time these guys mess up and get arrested or get killed. Theres not much on this guy?
Brett
Did anything ever come from Tabitha’s tip?
Tabitha Smith
I watched an episode this morning, Timothy Coombs wanted for attempted Muder of the Trooper Bob Harper, I being married to a police Detective just found this case interesting so I looked into this further. I found a man randomly on Facebook, today this man as unsolved website says he would be 52, this mans features look too familiar to the picture aired. I did a side by side comparison and asked my husband as well. They look entirely too much alike for me not to submit a tip. He has blue eyes, his facial hair is the same pattern as it was in the mugshot aside from the sides being shaved. I will gladly send you the side by side. I know this is probably far fetched but again being the wife of a police officer/detective and even him agreeing I felt the need. Also, the area several of his friends are around Ohio. I read in the description Missouri / Arkansas. It’s been roughly 23 years so he very well could be thinking that the radar is not on him anymore and that he will not be identified. I do think this should be followed up on. Maybe it can help! Please if possible send an email address and I will forward the side by side comparison as well as the Facebook ID link!
Unsolved Mysteries Post author
Hi Tabitha – please send us more information at unsolved@unsolved.com, through our tip form (https://unsolved.com/tips/) or through our app. Thank you.