February 25th, 2026 Local News
Christian Co., Mo. (KFMO) - Two Christian County sheriff’s deputies were killed and two others wounded during a deadly series of shootings that began Monday afternoon, February 23, and ended early Tuesday morning following an hours-long manhunt in southwest Missouri.
According to Brad Cole, the incident began with a traffic stop south of Highlandville on Monday afternoon. During that stop, 30-year-old Deputy Gabriel Ramirez was fatally shot. Ramirez had joined the Christian County Sheriff’s Office in March of 2025.
Authorities launched a large-scale search for the suspect, Richard Dean Bird, involving approximately 100 officers, deputies, and state troopers. Assistance also came from the U.S. Marshals, the FBI, and the ATF. Sheriff Cole said the suspect’s truck was later found abandoned several miles south near Reeds Spring, prompting an intensive search of the surrounding area. Early Tuesday morning, law enforcement detected a heat signature in a wooded area.
As deputies moved in, the suspect opened fire.
40-year-old Deputy Michael Hislope was killed during that exchange. Two additional deputies, one from Christian County and one from Webster County, were wounded. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Deputy Hislope had served the Christian County Sheriff’s Office since October of 2019. The investigation into the initial traffic stop and the subsequent shootings remains ongoing.