Man accused of holding couple at gunpoint

By Stephanie Baumer

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    UNION, Missouri (KMOV) — A Union, Missouri man is accused of kidnapping a couple at gunpoint.

The Union Fire Protection District was called to a suspicious fire at a shed in the 300 block of Echo Valley Road Saturday. When Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the location to investigates, they determined the shed had been set on fire and a 55-year-old man was missing from the home. The man’s 89-year-old mother told deputies her car was also missing. A witness said she was supposed to take the missing man to a nearby Walmart. Authorities went to the Walmart and tried calling the missing man, but were unable to contact him.

Around the same time, authorities were notified that a 76-year-old man and 75-year-old woman were held at gunpoint at nearby home in the 1500 block of Old Highway 50 East. The couple said they were near their barn when an armed man approached them. The man reportedly told them he was trying to get away from police and demanded a ride to the store. While making demands, the man allegedly pointed his gun at the couple and threatened to take the woman hostage. The man then agreed to drive the suspect wherever he wanted to go, but the suspect ran off.

Deputies determined the man accused of holding the couple at gunpoint was the missing man from the fire incident. On June 21, the suspect was found back at the home on Echo Valley Road and taken into custody.

The suspect was identified as Joey D. Cortner. A warrant for his arrested stated the 55-year-old’s charges as two counts of kidnapping second degree, two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon. He is currently being held at the Franklin County Detention Center on a $250,000 cash-only bond.

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