On January 19, 2026, the Howell County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a female
advising that a male subject, identified as Dalton Thompson, had made statements about
traveling to her residence and harming her children. Based on messages provided to
investigators, deputies immediately responded to the residence to check on the welfare of the children.
Upon arrival, deputies observed Thompson’s vehicle already on scene with the driver’s door
ajar. At the same time, Howell County Dispatch was receiving critical, real-time information
from one of the children inside the residence. This information indicated Thompson had forced entry into the home, was armed with a handgun, and had located the children in their hiding place.
Shortly thereafter, Thompson contacted Howell County Dispatch and stated that if deputies
attempted to enter the residence or if he observed them looking through windows, he would begin killing the children. That call was immediately transferred to Howell County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team Leader, Sergeant Seth Smith, who began initial negotiations. I was notified at that time and initiated a SWAT team call-out, including the request for a crisis negotiator. SWAT units arrived on scene and implemented established hostage response protocols, with a response team staged and prepared should negotiations deteriorate. Negotiations were transitioned to Detective Jeremy Pounders of the West Plains Police Department upon his arrival.
Detective Pounders maintained continuous communication with Thompson for several hours, working diligently to de-escalate the situation and secure the safe release of the children. Throughout negotiations, Thompson repeatedly stated he did not intend to harm the children and wanted to spend time with them.
Due to concerns over the length of the incident and deteriorating weather conditions, I made the decision to request additional SWAT personnel through mutual aid. At approximately 4:15 p.m., I contacted Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott to request assistance from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team. Sheriff Arnott immediately mobilized his personnel without hesitation.
At approximately 6:00 p.m., nearly six hours after the initial report, Thompson agreed to release the children. The children exited the residence and were secured in an armored vehicle before being transported to a nearby Incident Command Post. Upon arrival, they were evaluated by South Howell County Ambulance personnel. All children were found to be physically unharmed and were safely reunited with their mother and family members.
Following their medical assessment, the children were escorted to the West Plains Police
Department, where they met with Access Crisis Intervention personnel for crisis debriefing.
Access Crisis Intervention also provided the family with information and resources for continued support.
After the children were safely removed, telephone contact with Thompson was lost. SWAT units transitioned to barricaded-subject protocols. A window breach was conducted to allow the deployment of an interior drone, which was used to safely clear the residence and avoid
unnecessary risk to personnel. Thompson was located inside the residence and observed to have suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Deputies made entry to render aid and extracted Thompson to a waiting South Howell County Ambulance. Despite lifesaving efforts, Thompson succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at 7:55 p.m.
I want to recognize and thank the agencies that responded and assisted during this incident. Their professionalism, coordination, and commitment to public safety were instrumental in bringing this situation to a resolution without physical harm to the children:
Greene County Sheriff’s Office – Provided SWAT personnel through mutual aid
support
West Plains Police Department – Supplied a trained crisis negotiator who led extended
negotiations
Missouri State Highway Patrol – Assisted with traffic control and perimeter security
Missouri Department of Conservation – Assisted with traffic control and securing the
area
South Howell County Ambulance – Provided ambulance and medical personnel for
immediate care
Brandsville Fire Department – Provided fire apparatus and personnel on scene
Howell Rural Fire Department – Provided portable scene lighting
West Plains Fire Department – Provided portable scene lighting
Access Crisis Intervention – Conducted crisis debriefing and provided ongoing
resources to the family
This incident highlights the importance of interagency cooperation and preparedness. I am
extremely proud of the deputies of the Howell County Sheriff’s Office and grateful for our
partner agencies who stood ready to assist during a critical and emotionally charged situation. Their collective efforts ensured the safety of innocent lives and upheld our shared commitment to this community.
Sheriff Matt Roberts
Howell County Sheriff’s Office
