Mill Spring couple, child killed; suspect in custody

Authorities made a gruesome discovery Monday morning on a Butler County farm when they found the bodies of a Mill Spring, Missouri, couple and their toddler daughter, who had been the subjects of an earlier endangered-persons advisory.

Although no motive for their deaths has been released, Drew D. Atchison of Williamsville, Missouri, has confessed to the killings.

Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Jackson charged the 24-year-old Monday afternoon with three Class A felonies of first-degree murder, three unclassified felonies of armed criminal action, two Class A felonies of child kidnapping and the Class D felony of first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle.

Atchison, who is being held without bond, is accused of cutting the throats of Harley Michael Million, 24, and Samara Fontaine Kitts, 23, on Thursday, as well as kidnapping their 17-month old daughter, Willa Fontaine Million, by confining her for a �substantial period of time.�

After the couple was killed, Atchison allegedly left the child alone at her Mill Spring home. He returned Friday to get the toddler and later shot her, authorities said.

The charges stem from an investigation by Wayne County Sheriff�s Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and its Division of Drug and Crime Control and Butler County Sheriff�s Department.

On Friday before the murders were discovered, Wayne County deputies went to a residence on Cemetery Road in Williamsville to investigate a report of a truck parked in a vacant carport.

The 2004 Chevrolet Silverado belonged to Harley M. Million, highway patrol Cpl. J.A. Lacey said.

�At that point, we found blood in the back of the truck (but) also what appeared to be deer hair,� Wayne County Sheriff Dean Finch said. �We just assumed someone had killed a deer and was hiding the truck.�

Finch said the truck had a tarp over the front and part of its bed; however, nothing appeared suspicious.

On Sunday, the sheriff�s department received a report of three missing persons from a Mill Spring residence.

�We didn�t have a connection until we got to the residence where the people were missing, then the dots were connected,� Finch said.

The reporting party, he said, told deputies Million, Kitts and their child �had not been heard from in several days.� The family had not been able to contact either Million or Kitts since Thursday.

Accompanied by family members, deputies went to the residence where they found evidence at the rear of the house indicating a possible homicide had occurred, Lacey said.

�There didn�t appear to be anything missing; guns were still in the gun cabinet, the TV, all that stuff was there,� Finch said.

A deputy discovered blood on the door and what appeared to have been blood washed off the carport.

Finch said the residence was cleared to make sure no one was inside and then a search warrant was obtained for the house.

�One picture frame (was found) that was broken; a random picture frame, that was the only disturbance in the house,� said Finch, who indicated authorities believe Million and Kitts had been killed on the porch.

A separate search warrant, Finch said, was obtained for Million�s truck, which was photographed and towed from Williamsville to Greenville.

As officers were processing the house, �we were getting information that Mr. Atchison may be somehow connected,� said Finch, who described Atchison as being an acquaintance of the victims.

During the investigation, Lacey said, officers spoke with Million�s mother, Karie Million, who had pulled her son�s cellphone records. Those records indicated Atchison had contacted Michael Million on Friday.

Investigators, Lacey said, spoke to Bruce Atchison and his brother, Drew Atchison.

�While speaking with (Drew) Atchison, he admitted to being at the Million residence on Thursday,� Lacey said. �He confessed to killing Million and Kitts while at the residence by using a knife (to cut) their throats.�

Atchison then allegedly put the couple�s bodies in the back of Million�s truck and went back inside.

�While inside, he placed (Willa) inside a room with dogs and shut her inside, so she could not get out,� Lacey said. �He then left the residence and drove home.�

Friday morning, Lacey said, Atchison went back to the Million residence.

�While there, he destroyed evidence of the homicide,� Lacey said. �He eventually placed (Willa) inside the Million truck, where her parents lay dead in the bed.

�He drove all three of them to a location off JJ Highway. Upon arrival, he threw the knife into the woods.�

Atchison, Lacey said, then took Million�s and Kitts� bodies and hid them under blankets and trash.

�He then took (Willa) out of the vehicle,� Lacey said. �He eventually held her in his arms, with her facing away from him, and shot her in the back of the head.�

Atchison, Lacey said, admitted to firing his weapon three times.

�On the first shot, the weapon malfunctioned,� Lacey said. �On the second shot, he missed the child, and on the third shot he struck her. He then buried her under the blankets and trash with her parents.�

Lacey said Atchison then drove from the location and threw the truck�s registration into the river.

�He then drove the truck to the residence behind his house and parked it under a carport,� Lacey said. �He then attempted to hide the vehicle by placing tarps over the front and rear of the truck.�

That location, Finch said, was about six miles from the Million/Kitts home.

Atchison provided information as to where the bodies could be found, the sheriff said.

While processing the scene where the bodies were found, Lacey said, it was determined the location was in Butler County.

It was at about 4 a.m. Monday that Finch contacted Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs and told him Atchison had �confessed to killing the family and dumping their bodies in a remote location off JJ Highway in Butler County.�

The firearm allegedly used to kill the child was found in a hunting cabin on the property where the bodies were located.

Finch said the knife has not been located.

A search warrant, Finch said, also was executed at Atchison�s residence.

Butler County Coroner Andy Moore said all three autopsies were set to be performed at 9 a.m. today by Dr. Russell Deidiker at Farmington, Missouri.

Pertinent address:

Mill Spring, Mo.

Williamsville, Mo.