The case surrounding the death of Lisa Bebber widened this week with a second arrest connected to the May 19 fire at her Almo home.
Jason Rosson, 49, of Murray, is not charged with murder or arson, but a complaint warrant alleges he threatened a witness and helped cover up evidence after the fire.
Calloway County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested him Monday on charges of intimidating a participant in the legal process and tampering with physical evidence, both Class D felonies. In a press release announcing Rosson’s arrest, CCSO said the investigation remains ongoing.
Rosson’s arrest follows the June arrest of Jody Smith, 63, of Kirksey, who is charged with first-degree arson and murder, both Class A felonies, in connection with Bebber’s death. Smith is also charged in a separate but related case with theft by unlawful taking of property valued at less than $10,000 and theft by deception, both Class D felonies. He is being held without bond.
According to the complaint warrant filed in Rosson’s case, Smith, Rosson, Rosson’s wife, Kayla Rosson, and Gracie Litchfield went to Bebber’s home at 297 Saddlebrook Lane to discuss a truck that had been parked in Bebber’s driveway. The warrant says the group believed Bebber was “running her mouth” about the vehicle being stolen and scrapped in Marshall County.
Bebber was in jail when Smith, the Rossons and Litchfield allegedly “acted in concert” to take the vehicle, according to the warrant.
Litchfield told deputies that, before the group arrived at Bebber’s home, Jason Rosson brandished a knife and made threatening statements to Smith.
“I have done it before and gotten away with it, and I can do it again,” Rosson said, according to Litchfield.
Litchfield, who told deputies she was not inside the residence when the incident occurred, said she saw Kayla Rosson exit the house multiple times, including once with Bebber’s phone, which she smashed with a hammer.
More than an hour later, Kayla Rosson came out of the house again, screaming for Jason Rosson to “just do it” and for Smith to “help him,” according to the warrant. Jason Rosson later came out of the house and told Litchfield he had lost two “handfuls of hair” to Bebber.
According to the warrant, he threatened Litchfield was “next” if she said anything.
An unspecified amount of time later, Litchfield saw Kayla Rosson leave the residence, followed by Jason Rosson and then Smith, according to the warrant. The group then drove back to Smith’s residence, where Litchfield told investigators Kayla Rosson changed clothes, asked Litchfield to burn the clothes she had been wearing and gave her the hammer Kayla Rosson said she had used to smash Bebber’s phone. The warrant also says clothes belonging to Smith and Jason Rosson, along with Jason Rosson’s boots, were burned at the residence.
Rosson was arraigned in Calloway District Court Tuesday. Calloway District Judge Randall Hutchens set his bond at $20,000 cash and appointed the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy to represent him. Rosson is scheduled to return for his preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 14.
Smith’s case moved forward last month when a preliminary hearing revealed additional details in the investigation.
CCSO deputy Chandler Sirls testified and added new details to the investigation not previously reported.
Kayla Rosson told investigators she witnessed Smith set the house on fire after assaulting Bebber. According to Sirls, Smith said he loved Bebber all his life and could not have done it.
“When I asked him what the punishment should be for someone who burned someone else’s house down he said he didn’t know, (but) that ‘they should be burned for themselves,’” Sirls testified. “I asked him if he thought that the person who did this deserved a second chance, and he said no, but then later said he didn’t know.”
Victoria Wright, Smith’s public defender, asked Sirls how the remains in the residence were determined to be Bebber. Sirls answered there was no other person living at the address at the time, according to statements made by her son, Austin Bebber. He further advised the definitive confirmation on the remains would not be known for a year and a half.
Judge Hutchens found probable cause in both cases and bound them over to the grand jury. Smith is scheduled to appear in Calloway Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Individuals charged with crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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