Officers find suspect hiding in attic of Gainesville-area home


Markovich

Ryan Markovich, 36, was arrested on an open warrant Saturday evening after Ozark County Sheriff’s Department officers reportedly found him hiding under a piece of insulation in an attic of a home on County Road 103 in Gaines-ville. Two other individuals, present at the home, were also arrested. Felony charges of hindering prosecution are expected to be filed against the pair later this week. 

 

The original incident

Markovich was arrested on a warrant issued Jan. 9 after a non-compliance report was filed against him from a probation officer supervising his pre-trial release in a case which he is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance and manufacturing 35 grams or less of marijuana. The charges are in connection with a July 2019 traffic stop made by Ozark County Sheriff’s Deputy Seth Miller. 

Sheriff Darrin Reed said in a Facebook post Friday night, Jan. 24, that his department was currently searching for Markovich and that Markovich “tried to use a weapon on one of my deputies.”

The sheriff told the Times Monday that his post was in reference to Markovich’s actions during the July 2019 traffic stop. 

Although there was not a high enough level of evidence to officially charge Markovich with anything involving his possible attempt at using the weapon against the officer, he was charged with possessing drugs, marijuana and a weapon. Because Markovich is a convicted felon, it is illegal for him to possess any weapon. 

Reed said Miller conducted a traffic stop on Markovich’s vehicle in July and saw the man “fiddling with” something in the floorboard of the car. Miller was able to get Markovich out of the car and in handcuffs. When he searched the vehicle, he found a pistol in the floorboard where Markovich had been sitting. The gun was reportedly jammed.

“The slide was in the back position, and we think he was trying to get it to release,” Reed said. 

Markovich was arrested after the incident and charged in the case. He was eventually released on his own recognizance. He appeared for a criminal setting on Dec. 17, 2019. However, a non-compliance report was filed by Court Probationary Services Jan. 9. In response to the non-compliance report, Gross issued a capias warrant, meaning a warrant with full extradition rights and no bond. 

That warrant was executed Jan. 25 by a group of five Ozark County deputies. 

 

An arrest made

A few hours after Reed’s post was made, the Ozark County Sheriff’s Department received a tip from a resident who had an idea about where Markovich was staying.

Ozark County Sheriff’s Deputy Cpl. Curt Dobbs, with Deputies Dustin Smith, Seth Miller, Jeff Lane and Kyle Hannaford, went to the home on County Road 103 in Gainesville around 9 p.m. Saturday. Through a window, two of the deputies reportedly saw Markovich inside the home.

The deputies approached the home and knocked on the door, asking the individual who answered if Markovich was inside. The person told the officer he wasn’t there and refused to allow the officers to enter the home, but the officers insisted on entering the home to search for the suspect. Reed told the Times that, because the officers had seen the suspect from the window, the sheriff’s department officers had probable cause to enter the structure.

Dobbs found Markovich in the home’s attic, attempting to hide under a layer of insulation. He was arrested without incident. 

Markovich was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday. Results of the court appearance were not available at press time.

 

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423