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Suspects, No Motive Yet In Abduction-Murder

Carol Thomas, 23, felt apprehensive about accepting a ride from acquaintances. Police say those acquaintances killed her and dumped her body in a field.
Photo provided by law enforcement agencies. Click to enlarge.
Carol Thomas, 23, felt apprehensive about accepting a ride from acquaintances. Police say those acquaintances killed her and dumped her body in a field.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-869483.mp3

Kansas City, MO – Law enforcement officials still have nothing to say about a possible motive in the killing of 23-year-old Carol Thomas. But suspects are in custody and details are emerging on her abduction from outside a friend's house in Excelsior Springs.,br>
Carol Thomas was with friends, an older couple, Wednesday evening and expressed concerns about the acquaintances she had asked to give her a ride. The friends were appalled when they saw the people who picked Thomas up start beating her and then throw her in the trunk and drive away.

Excelsior Springs Police Lieutenant Clint Reno told reporters Thursday that a tip led to the discovery of Thomas' body.

Reno said, "We had a tip from a farmer up around the Elmyra area that he had seen a vehicle coming out of a field last night and didn't think a lot about it at that time, but after this all went on this morning thought that was worthy of letting us know. We sent officers and deputies out to that location, they began searching that field and located what we believe was the body of what we believe is Carol Thomas."

At the time of the news conference identification was on the basis of clothing and general description.

Four people are in custody, three of them suspects and the fourth likely a witness if not a participant.

Police haven't said what led them to the persons in custody.

Excelsior Springs news conference audio courtesy of KMBC TV-9

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