March 13
Neldon Harrison Neal, 61, allegedly shoots and kills his common law wife, Judy Lewis, following an argument inside a Roby trailer. Neal then flees into the woods dressed in camouflage and carrying two handguns, sparking a massive manhunt and locking down two area schools.
March 16
Neal arrives at Evelyn Lansdown’s trailer in Evening Shade for food and supplies. He takes a shower and gathers food, a backpack, Bible, bottled water and clothing. At a command post inside the Roby Fire Station, Texas County Sheriff Carl Watson announces a $1,000 reward leading to the capture of Neal.
A 9-year-old boy dies from a gunshot inflicted by his brother, who was handling a loaded weapon in the search area.
March 17
Lansdown, Mary Thomas and Erica Moore – who had taken Neal into the woods from Lansdown’s trailer – bring supplies to Neal at a hollow log just off Sante Anna Road. Among the items is a tent and sleeping bag Thomas purchased from Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, along with alcoholic beverages.
March 20
The command post is dismantled as leads dry up. The eight-day manhunt was the longest in Texas County’s modern history.
March 22
Moore and Kathy McComas take more supplies to Neal in the woods. McComas provides soap and a pen and paper.
March 28
Watson says he “definitely believes” Neal is still in the area.
March 29
Neal’s female accomplices bring him more supplies, including a copy of the Herald. The women say it’s the last time they see Neal.
April 1
Neal makes a 5-mile trek through the woods from his log hiding place to a rock overhang near the Gasconade River in Laclede County.
April 9
Authorities get their first big break when Roby firefighters responded to a blaze east of Evening Shade. There they found three juveniles who set fire in an outbuilding to keep warm because the furnace inside their doublewide trailer was not working properly. Their mothers – Thomas and Landsdown – were nowhere to be found.
April 10
Videotaped interviews with seven juveniles reveal details of Neal’s log hiding place.
Lansdown, Thomas and Moore are arrested for their involvement and charged with hindering prosecution. Bond is set at $25,000.
April 12
One of the arrested women takes authorities to Neal’s log, where they find trash and other debris from his weeklong stay there.
April 13
McComas is arrested and charged with hindering prosecution for assisting Neal.
April 26
After making contact with local officers, America’s Most Wanted features Neal on the front page of its Web site.
May 9
Two Pulaski County men are believed to make their final contact with Neal along the Gasconade River. They have provided multiple items, including food and new clothing.
Local authorities meet with representatives from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The following day, reward money leading to Neal’s arrest is increased from $1,000 to $6,000.
May 11
AMW confirms to the Herald that it is coming to Roby in early June to film an episode
for its television program.
May 12
Acting on a tip, authorities capture Neal 12 miles northwest of Lynchburg 62 days after the murder. He is taken to the Texas County Jail.
May 13
In a rare Sunday afternoon session, Neal appears in front of Texas County Associate Circuit Judge Brad Ellsworth. Neal will be provided a public defender and is ordered to appear in court June 20.
May 14
Neal is transported to a state prison in Fulton to serve time on a parole violation.