Mohler Family: Relative Questions Tales of Rape, Sodomy, and Murder

By: Ryan Smith
Topics: Daily Blotter

(AP Photo)

Photo: Left to right on top row - Jared Leroy Mohler, David A. Mohler, Burrell Edward Mohler Sr. Left to right on second row - Burrell Edward Mohler Jr., Roland Neil Mohler, Darrel Wayne Mohler.

LEXINGTON, Mo.(CBS/AP) Dark, sordid, tales of a rural Missouri man and his four adult sons raping, sodomizing, sexually abusing children, and even murdering, in a house of horror, are coming to light two decades later.

As authorities work to piece together exactly what happened, Burrell Mohler Sr., 77, and his four adult sons appeared in court in western Missouri on Tuesday where they were charged with sex crimes including rape and sodomy. A new search warrant claims one of the suspects even forced his victims to help kill and bury a man.

Hell on earth. But is it true?

"These fellas have all had respectable jobs," Ron Gamble, a relative of the accused men, said after Tuesday's hearing.

"In this country, you're innocent until proven guilty. ... Have they found any evidence? I haven't heard of any," he said. "Believe me if these things would have happened when Alice was alive, she would have been on top of this."

Alice Mohler was Burrell E. Mohler Sr.'s wife and died in 1991, he said.

Still, police are convinced they have uncovered perhaps the worst sex crime case in Missouri history.

The original complaint, which has allegations that date from 1988 to 1995, includes charges of rape with a child younger than 12 and use of a child in a sexual performance. One court document alleged some of the children were assaulted with sharp objects and one girl was forced to have sexual contact with a dog.

A search warrant, filed Nov. 9, but released to The Associated Press on Tuesday, stated three of the alleged child victims observed "several murders" and they were forced to help stab a man to death and bury him in April 1988.

Search crews have combed the Mohler's former property outside Bates City in search of buried glass jars they believed contained notes written by children that documented sexual abuse. The children were told to write down bad memories and bury them there and "the memories would go away," said Sgt. Collin Stosberg of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Despite the growing list of alleged crimes, Stosberg said, "We are focusing on the sex crimes investigation."

On Tuesday, relatives of the Mohler family were in the crowded courtroom as a judge read 15 new sex charges against the five men.

The charges added to 14 filed last week, accusing Mohler Sr., of Independence, of rape, sodomy and the use of a child in a sexual performance. His four sons, Mohler Jr., 53, of Independence; Jared Leroy Mohler, 48, of Columbia; Roland Neil Mohler, 47, of Bates City; and David A. Mohler, 52, of Lamoni, Iowa, were charged with rape.

During their brief court appearance, four of the five men said they still were trying to find attorneys. Jared Leroy Mohler said he had hired a lawyer, who did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

No additional charges were filed against the sixth person accused in the case, Darrel W. Mohler, 72, who was being held in Marion County, Fla., on two counts of rape stemming from 1986. He agreed to be extradited to Missouri, but the status of his arrival wasn't immediately clear.

Various documents in the case identify the relationship between the child victims, who were siblings, and the suspects. CBS is not revealing that relationship to avoid identifying the alleged victims of sexual assault.

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by dronemonk November 19, 2009 3:35 PM EST

"People don't make this stuff up"? That just not true. See "McMartin preschool trial" or the "Scott County case" from Minnesota. If anything, the inclusion of satanic activities should set off alarms for investigators.

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by Farver4girls January 28, 2010 3:43 PM EST: Dronemonk:

Some of the people who believe the stories about the Mohler men also insist that satanic sex rituals really happened at the McMartin Preschool. I learned this while reading comments about the Mohlers in the Kansas City Star.


by Txpharm November 19, 2009 11:01 AM EST: We haven't heard anything about the victims since authorities are rightfully protecting their identities. If these horrific crimes took place in late 80's and early 90s that means victims grew up and finally got courage and a support system to confront these men. This is the kind of stuff that causes DID, "dissociative identity disorder" in order to survive it. These victims will NEVER recover from this. People don't make this stuff up, there are numerous charges, the wife wouldn't have known since perps like this are very good at hiding their crimes, manipulating child victims to keep them quiet. I'd lay money the father sexually abused all four of his sons when they were children, and the mother either knew or was in denial. This is absolutely satanic abuse,incredibly sick family, and these men should be locked up with no chance of parole, or executed.; Reply to this comment

by Txpharm November 19, 2009 11:01 AM EST

We haven't heard anything about the victims since authorities are rightfully protecting their identities. If these horrific crimes took place in late 80's and early 90s that means victims grew up and finally got courage and a support system to confront these men. This is the kind of stuff that causes DID, "dissociative identity disorder" in order to survive it. These victims will NEVER recover from this. People don't make this stuff up, there are numerous charges, the wife wouldn't have known since perps like this are very good at hiding their crimes, manipulating child victims to keep them quiet. I'd lay money the father sexually abused all four of his sons when they were children, and the mother either knew or was in denial. This is absolutely satanic abuse,incredibly sick family, and these men should be locked up with no chance of parole, or executed.

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by michigannative November 24, 2009 5:42 PM EST: you say "I'd lay money the father sexually abused all four of his sons when they were children" therefore they were and are victims. If they are in fact victims of the same horrific crimes do you feel they should be locked up forever with no chance of parole? Are victims turned criminals not entitled to help?


by MalloryDavis November 19, 2009 8:47 AM EST: I agree with you DRONEMONK! But sometimes the accusation is so egregious that people want action against the perp. I agree that we really don't have evidence to even make a judgement. I am suprized that any person gets a fair trial with the venom spewed by righteous anger. And there's proof all of the time that people have been wrongly convicted ie: judged...; Reply to this comment


by dronemonk November 18, 2009 11:21 PM EST: Notice how many people are eager to declare them guilty if only to wish ill will on them? That so many people are wired for blind vengeance (you know, declaring guilt before a trial) are more behind what ails this nation than the potentially murderous perverts that they take such wicked glee in lining up to spit on.; Reply to this comment

by Phenm November 18, 2009 6:47 PM EST

No person who rapes kids advertises it. They are experts at hiding it.

The grandfather had incest magazines in his possession. The people sticking up for him should be hung.

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by michigannative November 24, 2009 5:44 PM EST: I have a book about swingers and group sex, am I therefore automatically a swinger and participate in group sex?


by Farver4girls January 28, 2010 3:37 PM EST: Obvioulsy, Phemn, you were not taught in school that, in our country, defendants are presumed innocent until after they are proven guilty in a court of law.