Missing Exeter woman found dead, suspect in custody

A murder suspect is in custody after a missing woman from Exeter, Missouri, was found dead.

The Barry County Sheriff’s Office says the body of 24-year-old Aspen Lewis was located along a rural Barry County road, near Shell Knob, just hours after she was reported missing.

Court documents say her boyfriend, 23-year-old Aaron Malone, also of Exeter, now faces second-degree murder, abandonment of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence charges.

Investigators say they found a large blood stain in the roadway behind Malone’s truck on Monday after speaking with him about the abduction of Lewis.

Authorities add that throughout our criminal investigation, inconsistencies were located in Aaron’s statements about her disappearance.

Malone later admitted there was an altercation that lead to Lewis’ death and then took deputies to where he dumped her body.