Repeat offender slays 2 Missouri deputies before dying in shootout, sheriff says
Richard Dean Bird, 45, was apprehended following the fatal shooting of a Christian County deputy. (Missouri State Highway Patrol)
A repeat offender with a history of shooting at police turned a Missouri traffic stop into one of the "darkest days in county history," killing two sheriff’s deputies before dying in a gunfight, authorities said.
The traffic stop occurred just after 4:00 p.m. Monday south of Highlandville in southwest Missouri, officials said. Authorities have not said what prompted the stop, and the investigation remains ongoing.
During a press conference Tuesday, Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole identified the suspect as Richard Dean Bird, 45, and confirmed he had a lengthy criminal record spanning Kansas and Missouri.
Charges had been filed against Bird on Monday, though Cole said he was not aware of any active warrants at the time of the encounter.
Court and booking records show Bird was arrested in Stone County, Missouri, on Feb. 20, 2026. According to Stone County jail records, he was booked on charges of second-degree burglary, unlawful possession of a firearm and stealing property valued at $750 or more.
Bird had also recently been charged with receiving stolen property, according to court records cited by The New York Times. In that case, police found Bird with collectible coins, including Indian-head pennies valued at about $2,000, that had been inside a safe reported stolen. Officers also discovered documents he allegedly attempted to destroy by burning, according to the warrant. Bird had posted $50,000 bond on Friday, the Times reported.
A booking photo of Richard Dean Bird, identified by authorities as the suspect in the fatal shooting of two Christian County deputies in southwest Missouri. Bird was apprehended following an overnight manhunt involving local, state and federal law en
Bird previously lived in the Kansas City area. In September 2014, he was arrested after allegedly firing multiple shots from a rifle at a Johnson County, Kansas, sheriff’s deputy investigating a theft at a construction site near 191st Street and State Line Road, according to The Kansas City Star.
Bird fired "multiple shots from a rifle at the deputy, who was not hit," the Star reported. He was initially charged with attempted first-degree murder and theft, and his bond was set at $1 million. He later pleaded guilty to reduced charges and was sentenced in 2016 on five counts stemming from that case, according to court records. Kansas Department of Corrections records show he was released in April 2023.
That criminal history formed the backdrop to Monday’s deadly encounter in Christian County.
Deputy Gabriel Ramirez, 30, was killed during the initial traffic stop, Cole said.
Bird fled the scene, triggering what Cole described as a massive manhunt involving approximately 150 law enforcement officers from local, state and federal agencies, including U.S. Marshals, the FBI and ATF.
Authorities issued a Blue Alert for Bird’s white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup truck, Missouri license plate 9MGX36, officials said. The vehicle was later found abandoned several miles south near Reeds Spring, prompting an overnight search of wooded terrain.
Early Tuesday morning, deputies approached what Cole described as a heat signature in the woods. Officers attempted communication but "received no response other than shooting at us," Cole said.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a Blue Alert for a white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup truck, Missouri license plate 9MGX36, after a Christian County deputy was fatally shot near Highlandville. (Missouri State Highway Patrol F
What followed was a roughly 30-minute gun battle, according to the sheriff.
Deputy Michael Hislope, 40, was killed in the exchange, Cole said. Deputies Josh Wahl of Christian County and Austin McCall of Webster County were wounded but are recovering from injuries that are not considered life-threatening, authorities said.
Law enforcement officers returned fire, killing Bird, officials said. Authorities said they are only aware of a rifle being used during the manhunt.
Ozark Police Department officers are assisting with calls for service while the sheriff’s office focuses on the aftermath, officials said.
"Anytime that you lose two heroes in a 24-hour period, it is a dark day," Cole said during the press conference. "We’re going to build from that and continue to support our community."
Cole said the department’s immediate focus is to "plan two funerals and support the injured deputies."
The deputies’ deaths have deeply shaken the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, which has about 30 patrol officers and roughly 140 employees overall, according to Kathy Thimesch, an executive administrator with the agency who spoke to The New York Times. Thimesch told the outlet she was not aware of another officer from the department ever having been killed in the line of duty.
Both Ramirez and Hislope were U.S. Army veterans, Cole said.
"Not only did they serve our community proudly, they served our country," Cole said. "They were not only heroes here, but for our country."
In a Facebook post, Cole wrote that the department mourns "the loss of two of our own — Deputy Gabriel Ramirez and Deputy Michael Hislope — who gave their lives in the line of duty," adding that their "courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to Christian County will never be forgotten."
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe called the shootings "a solemn reminder of the sacrifices law enforcement officers make to keep our communities safe," adding that he and his wife are praying for the families of both fallen deputies and the injured officers.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine L. Hanaway said, "Two brave Christian County deputies were killed and two more were injured in the line of duty. We stand firmly behind the heroes who put their lives on the line to protect our state every day."
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Other state officials also shared their reactions and condolences to the community.
"A deputy in my home county was shot and killed today. Erin and I are praying for his family. May justice be swift," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., called the incident "a devastating loss in Christian County."
"As local law enforcement works to bring the suspect to justice, my prayers are with the deputy’s loved ones and those who served shoulder to shoulder with him to keep Missouri safe," Schmitt wrote on X.
Missouri State Rep. Jamie Ray Gragg said on Facebook: "My heart is broken for our deputy’s family. While they understood that this profession carries risk, senseless acts like this are beyond comprehension."
The investigation remains ongoing.
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