Timothy Haslett Jr. : Missouri Man Accused of Holding Black Woman in Basement Charged in Murder Case

Missouri Man Faces Murder Charge in Connection with Woman’s Death

A Missouri man accused of kidnapping a woman and holding her hostage in his basement is now facing an additional charge related to the murder of another woman whose skeletal remains were found last year in a barrel in a river.

Timothy Haslett Jr., 41, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jaynie Crosdale, prosecutors announced at a news conference on Tuesday. This comes after Haslett was previously charged with first-degree rape, sodomy, kidnapping, assault, and endangering a child following the escape of an unnamed woman who was allegedly held captive in his basement.

Investigators believe Crosdale, a Black woman, was killed between June 6, 2022, and Oct. 7, 2022, according to an indictment. Photos retrieved from a device owned by Haslett showed Crosdale inside the basement of his Excelsior Springs home, as revealed by Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson.

The blue barrel in which Crosdale’s remains were discovered matched other barrels found at Haslett’s residence, the prosecutor added. Excelsior Springs police linked Crosdale to the case publicly in January 2023, seeking assistance in locating her as they believed she could provide crucial information about the kidnapping investigation. Her body was eventually found in a barrel in the Missouri River last July.

According to a probable cause statement, Haslett allegedly informed the Black woman who escaped from his basement in October 2022 that two other victims “didn’t make it.” The surviving victim, who was 22 at the time, reported being held captive, assaulted, and threatened by Haslett. She managed to flee to neighbors for help.

Haslett, who is white, reportedly told the surviving victim that one woman was killed with a gas mask and another “died by electrocution” during a sexual encounter, as per the probable cause statement. The survivor also claimed that Haslett threatened to suffocate her and place her in a barrel “like the rest of them” if she did not comply.

Thompson refrained from commenting on whether Haslett is suspected in other homicides at this time, stating that the charges for Crosdale’s murder represent all available charges based on the current evidence. Haslett has been in custody since October 2022, and his attorney has yet to respond to requests for comment.

Details of the Survivor’s Ordeal

The probable cause statement, dated July 3, 2024, sheds light on the “brutal and barbaric” torture endured by the surviving victim. According to the document, the woman was discovered wearing a trash bag, latex lingerie, a metal dog collar with a padlock around her neck, and duct tape when she was found.

She recounted being approached by Haslett in Kansas City, Missouri, in September 2022 and offered $350 to accompany him to his residence. During the car journey, Haslett allegedly brandished a firearm, confiscated her cell phones, and administered drugs that induced sleep.

The woman claimed that Haslett restrained her wrists and ankles with locks, confining her in a “dungeon” in his basement that was equipped with cameras and torture implements. She detailed a routine of daily choking, whipping, and sexual assault, along with minimal sustenance in the form of peanut butter and jelly or ham sandwiches.

Haslett purportedly engaged in sexual acts while dressed in women’s lingerie, referring to the woman as his “sex slave.” The survivor managed to escape when Haslett left the premises to drop off his young son at school. She freed herself from restraints, dislodged a keypad from the wall, and unlocked the basement door.