KKK leader's wife, stepson charged in his death

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The wife and stepson of a Ku Klux Klan grand wizard were charged Monday with allegedly murdering him and leaving his body near a river days before he was found.

Malissa Ancona and Paul Edward Jinkerson were charged Monday with first degree murder, tampering with evidence and abandoning a corpse in connection with the death of Frank Ancona, who was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head Saturday near Belgrade, Mo.

Malissa Ancona told police her son, Jinkerson, shot Frank Ancona in the head while he slept. Frank Ancona was found Friday near the bank of the Big River, about 90 miles southwest of St. Louis, after going missing for three days.

While Malissa Ancona originally said she hadn't seen her husband since Thursday, police obtained a search warrant for her home on Saturday, discovering blood in the master bedroom.

Police said they are still working to establish a motive for Frank Ancona's death, but that Malissa had admitted to her involvement in the crime.

"Ms. Ancona admitted that she failed to report the crime and additionally attempted to destroy blood evidence and altered the crime scene in an attempt to conceal the offense and was acting in concert with her son Paul Jinkerson Jr.," police said in a statement after the arrest.