Willard’s Stark arrested for death of Springfield man

A Willard man is one of two suspects charged in the murder of a Springfield man that occurred earlier this month. Nikki Stark, 28, is charged with one count of second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, and one count of first-degree kidnapping. The other suspect, Matthias Jones, 49, of Springfield, is charged with first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, one count of first-degree kidnapping, and failure to register as a sex offender (According to online court records and information found on the Missouri State Highway Patrol sex offender registry, Jones was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in September of 1994). The two are accused of murdering Phillip Farley, 45, of Springfield.

Crime caught on surveillance video
According to the probable cause statement in the case, on the evening of Sunday, Feb. 9, Springfield Police officers responded to a 911 call and found Farley dead on a roadway. They spoke with a witness (W1) who told them that he maintained a surveillance camera of the area and remotely observed the crime.
It was reported that the surveillance footage showed the victim, later identified as Farley, walking north on Fort Avenue, north of College Street, and he was followed by the two suspects, later identified as Jones and Stark. As they were walking, it was reported, Jones allegedly told Farley, “I don’t think so, keep walking.”
The three traveled westward and were caught on another camera. Either Jones or Stark allegedly called Farley an expletive, and then a physical altercation reportedly ensued. The victim was heard, it was reported, crying out in pain and shouting, “It’s right here. I promise on everything I love.”
Jones reportedly told Farley to “get up, now,” and “I don’t believe you.” Farley again was heard to say, “I promise, on everything I love.”
Farley was seen on the camera attempting to walk west, but according to the probable cause statement, Jones allegedly forced him to walk back the way they came. Later, an officer reported, Jones could be seen striking Farley with an “edged weapon” while holding the back of Farley’s coat, and Farley could be seen being struck with the knife in the left side of his chest. Allegedly, Jones continued to assault Farley with the knife out of the view of the camera.
Stark allegedly walked to where Jones and Farley were out of view of the camera, and he and Jones were reportedly seen walking westward; Stark also allegedly asked Jones, “How bad did you get him?”

Jones claims to have been in tent on day of murder
On Wednesday, Feb. 12, a tip provider sent Springfield Police screenshots of a conversation that identified one of the men as Matthias Jones; the screenshots also told police where Jones lived. Police officers located Jones on Feb. 12.
Jones agreed to go to police headquarters for an interview, during which he denied any knowledge of a homicide. He also claimed he was in the tent all day during the time of the murder; he also claimed to have been drunk that day and that a woman had been at his tent to see him later on Feb. 9.
Police spoke to the woman, who claimed to have seen Jones near Water and Fort between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Feb. 9.
A search warrant was executed on Jones’s tent; he was found to be in possession of a knife, among other items.

Stark eventually captured, arrested
Jones was booked into the Greene County Jail on Feb. 12. According to a press release from the Springfield Police Department Stark was arrested in the late hours of Monday, Feb. 24; the Greene County Jail inmate roster shows that he was booked into the jail on Tuesday, Feb. 25.