Sedalia Man Arrested After Burglary At Smith Cotton Junior High

On the night of December 3, 2024, Officers with the Sedalia Police Department responded to the for a report of a subject Trespassing in the Smith Cotton Junior High School.  

Officers arrived on scene, 312 East Broadway Boulevard, and spoke with staff. A staff member, noted in the Probable Cause Statement as "V1", stated sounds were coming from their work radios that weren't made by any of the other staff members. VI reported going to the lost and found area in the school and heard music playing. V1 said she asked another staff member, V3, who was supposed to be on the third floor, if it was her playing the music. VI stated that someone said "yes" but it wasn't V3. When she looked up to the third floor she said she saw a male standing there.

When asked, he responded his name was "Slater". V1 continued cleaning until she talked to V3 about  the male reportedly on the third floor. V3 and V1 spoke with the third employee on scene, V2, who called called dispatch about the subject.

V2 reported the radio going off several times with different "ghost" noises being made.  V2 also stated he got on the school's intercom system and told the subject to come downstairs, which he didn't.

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V1, V2, and V3 were noticeably upset about the subject making noises on their work radios and making "ghost" noises throughout the building.

While searching the building utilizing the Sedalia PD K9 Unit, the subject, identified as Vance Edward Slater, 39, of Sedalia, was located in room 301. Slater was sitting at one of the desks holding his phone when Officers made contact with him. Slater attempted to resist arrest by failing to comply with verbal commands and pulling away from the Officers attempting to take him into custody.

Slater was read his Miranda Rights, but refused to answer any questions until he was being walked to the patrol vehicle. Slater stated he was waiting for someone to meet him at the school. When asked who that someone was, Vance said it was Taylor Swift.

Located in the same room Slater was found in was a cabinet that had been broken into. Due to the cabinet door being original to the building, the damage to the cabinet has been estimated at $1,000 for repair. An outlet cover in the room was also reported damaged and estimated to be around $10 to replace.

Officers also did a quick review of the footage of Slater while he was in the building. Officers stated Vance was in the building starting from around 6:30 p.m.,  during a school recital until he was into custody at 11:27 p.m. Officers stated Slater can be seen on camera circling the interior of the school, going in and out of various classrooms.

Slater was arrested and transported to the Pettis County Jail.  There, he was booked in on charges of Burglary in the First Degree, felony Resisting Arrest, Property Damage in the 1st Degree, and Harassment in the First Degree. Bond was set at $25,000 cash or surety.