Suspect arrested in 1998 murder

Progress was made Monday in a 1998 murder case as local authorities arrested a rural Bourbon County resident.

According to a press release issued by the Fort Scott Police Department, Larry Joe Gier Jr., 41, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder for his alleged involvement in the death of 48-year-old Fort Scott resident Gregory O. Hines.

Hines was a long-haul truck driver working for Landstar Ranger Trucking Co. of Jacksonville, Fla., and he lived at 716 S. Judson for four or five years prior to going missing in August 1998.

A task force made up of the FSPD, Bourbon County Sheriff's Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation began an extensive search in early August 1998 for Hines' body with no results. According to previous reports in The Tribune during the search, Hines was last seen around July 20, 1998.

According to reports, the search began after a lawn mowing company, hired to mow Hines' lawn on a regular basis, called the FSPD reporting a large amount of blood leading down concrete steps at the front of the house. Hines' light-blue four-door 1991 Cadillac with personalized plates reading "ONTOUR" was found parked in the dorm area at Fort Scott Community College. In addition, a "possible weapon" was discovered in the Rock Creek Road area off 18th Street.

Cadaver dogs and a bloodhound were eventually brought in to aid in the search and turned up no results.

On Aug. 21, 1998, then-Kansas Gov. Bill Graves signed an executive order granting a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer or murderers of Hines.

The executive order stated that "on Aug. 3, 1998, a possible weapon was found in a two-mile radius of where Mr. Hines' vehicle was found and it is now believed that this is a possible homicide investigation."

It also stated, "the offer of a reward will enhance the efforts of the agencies and officers involved in the investigation of this heinous crime."

FSPD Chief Ron Puterbaugh said Hines' body still hasn't been found.

The FSPD, KBI, BBSO and the Bourbon County Attorney's Office made the arrest following a prolonged investigation, the news release said. Although an arrest has been made, the release stated the investigation is still ongoing.

Gier is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, the release said.

If anyone has information about the case, they are encouraged to contact the Fort Scott Police Department at (620) 223-1700, TIPS Hotline at (620) 223-1711, or KBI at (800) 572-7463.