On September 9, 2025, Douglas County deputies responded to a report of unauthorized camping on private property near County Road K-517 in Ava, Missouri. The property owner suspected the individual might be his nephew but had not granted permission to anyone to camp there.
Lieutenant James Nelson and Deputy Jonathan Harley arrived on scene and encountered three males emerging from the timber line. One was identified as Walter Edwin Wittorff, previously contacted by authorities the day before. Wittorff’s father, also present, inquired about obtaining a mental health evaluation for his son.
Walter was detained for investigation and advised of his Miranda Rights. He consented to a search of his vehicle—a 2024 Chevy Colorado registered to a Texas-based company—which revealed a white straw containing a crystallized substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. A loaded Remington 11-87 12-gauge shotgun was also found in the truck bed.
Both the suspected drug paraphernalia and firearm were seized. The vehicle was towed from the property, and Wittorff was placed on a 24-hour investigative hold at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. The property owner declined to pursue trespassing charges. Wittorff now faces charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Meth), Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.
