Leon Lamb, a 52-year-old Arkansas man charged with the 1992 murder of Mischelle Lawless, has been transferred back to Scott County, Missouri. Sheriff’s deputies transported Lamb from Conway, Arkansas, to the Scott County Jail, where he arrived at 1:50 p.m. on Friday, February 7. His arraignment is scheduled for Monday, February 10, at 11 a.m.
Lamb had been held in an Arkansas jail since December following his arrest on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action related to Lawless’ death. He waived extradition earlier in the week, allowing Missouri authorities to take him into custody.
The case has drawn significant media attention, leading Special Prosecutor Allen Moss to file a motion for a protective order. This motion seeks to prevent case materials provided to the defense from being made public, arguing that excessive media exposure could make it difficult to find an impartial jury.
In response, the defense, led by attorney Russ Oliver, opposed the protective order. Oliver criticized the state’s handling of case information, arguing that for over 50 years, Missouri has regularly made large amounts of investigative details public. He characterized the prosecutor’s concerns as part of a “publicity parade.”
The legal battle over evidence disclosure adds another layer of complexity to the high-profile case, which has remained unsolved for more than three decades.
