Suspicious death in Mansfield limits leads to four arrests
On Sunday, Dec. 29, the Mansfield Police Department requested assistance from the Wright County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division to investigate a suspicious death within the City limits of Mansfield. Since then, several interviews have been conducted, and numerous leads have been pursued.
During the investigation, the Wright County Criminal Investigations Division and Mansfield Police Department made multiple arrests related to drug crimes:
• Joseph Bell was arrested on Dec. 29, 2024, for two counts of possession of a controlled substance. Bell is currently on parole. Bell has been charged and is being held on a $1,500 cash-only bond with conditions.
• Julie Barnes was arrested on Dec. 30, 2024, for possession of a controlled substance. Barnes was later released.
• Bradley J. Henry was arrested on Jan. 2 following a search warrant executed by the Wright County Special Operations Group. Henry has been charged with distribution of a controlled substance and keeping or maintaining a public nuisance. He is being held on a $25,000 cash-only bond with conditions. Henry is a prior and persistent drug offender.
• Daison Steffe was arrested by Mansfield Officer Kase Sanders on Jan. 2 for possession of a controlled substance, shortly after the above search warrant had been cleared. Steffe is currently on probation and parole and on felony bond from a prior possession charge. Charges are pending.
This case remains an open and active investigation.
Sheriff Byerley stated:
“This is what fighting the drug epidemic in a rural county is about—law enforcement agencies working together to rid the county of dangerous drugs,” said Wright County Sheriff Sonny Byerley. “I want to thank and commend Detective Sgt. Akers and Detective Ballard for their tireless dedication in pursuing, tracking down and acting on all leads. It takes this kind of effort to put a case like this together.”
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.