Jacque Waller: Mom of triplets missing, ex hires lawyer with troubles of his own

JACKSON, Missouri (Isabelle Zehnder reporting) – As the search for the missing Missouri mom of triplets intensifies her friends, family, and supporters have raised concerns that her estranged husband, James "Clay" Waller's, attorney Scott Douglas Reynolds of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, had serious troubles of his own earlier last year.

Supporters on the Find Jacque S Waller Facebook page shared their concerns that the attorney was arrested and convicted in a domestic violence incident with his fiancée.

View slideshow: Jacque Waller: Mom of triplets missing, ex hires lawyer with troubles of his own

Clay Waller's attorney, Scott Reynolds

Clay Waller’s attorney, Scott D. Reynolds, is listed by the Missouri Bar as an “active” lawyer in “good standing.” His Bar No. is 38088 and he was admitted to the Bar on Sep. 21, 1990. The Semissourian.com reports Reynolds runs his own firm. See slideshow, left side bar.

And though he's listed as a lawyer in "good standing," early last year this lawyer apparently had troubles of his own.

KFVS12 reported in February 2010 that a Cape Giradeau lawyer named Scott Reynolds was arrested on charges of felony armed criminal action, domestic violence, and endangering the welfare of a child. A search on the Missouri Bar website shows only one attorney by the name of Scott Reynolds working in the state of Missouri.

Asked if the attorney arrested is also Clay's attorney, Jacque's mom Ruby Rawson wrote in a private Facebook message Saturday, "You have the right attorney. Ironic, isn't it?"

Scott Reynold's case was moved to a different county at the request of Cape Girardeau County prosecutor Morley Swingle due to a conflict of interest.

News reports and a Probable Cause Affidavit filed by Deputy Heather VanGennip show Reynolds assaulted his fiancée, Jacqueline Carter, after they had an argument over a phone call and a picture message sent to Reynolds’ cell phone. Before the victim could leave the residence Reynolds took her keys and pulled her by her sweater to their master bedroom.

The victim said Reynolds pulled out some of her hair. Once they were in the bedroom Reynolds reportedly began to choke her and punched her in the face and head numerous times. The Affidafit shows that after the victim yelled at her daughter to get her shoes Reynolds pointed a .357 revolver in his fiancée’s face and pulled the trigger five times. The victim said in her affidavit that she had unloaded the gun days prior out of fear for her life. The Semissourian.com reports at the time she feared for her life because she didn't know if he'd reloaded the firearm.

Officers saw red marks on the victim’s throat, from her left to her right ear and a red mark the size of a softball on her back. They also saw other numerous cuts on her finger, face and forearm.

According to the probable-cause affidavit, Reynolds admitted retrieving the handgun to scare his fiancée who was trying to retrieve a knife she kept on her side of the bed. Reynolds also claimed a small baggie of marijuana in question belonged to the victim.

The incident occurred in front of Jacqueline's 6-year-old child. Reynolds was taken into custody and held on $200,000 cash bond.

Reynolds' case was moved to Boone County because Reynolds was a friend to almost every lawyer in his office and they all felt it would be uncomfortable prosecuting Reynolds, SEMissourian.com. Reynolds was also charged for possessing less than 35 grams of marijuana.

According to police Reynolds refused to put up his hands when they arrived. He also refused to get on the ground shouting, “Scott Reynolds, the attorney. I’ve been practicing law for 20 years (expletive) years,” KFVS12 reports.

In October 2010 KFVS12 reports that Reynolds was a free man after he reached a deal with prosecutors just before his trial was scheduled to begin. He entered a guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of third-degree domestic assault. The felony charges against him were dropped. A judge sentenced him to the time he already served which was 27 days.

In March 2010 the Missouri Courts website shows that during the bond-reduction hearing testimony was heard on behalf of the State and the Defense.

It was at that time the bond was reduced to $125,000 with special conditions.

The special conditions were:

GPS monitoring 24 hours a day, to be paid by defendant
Absolutely no contact with victim or her child, of any kind
House arrest, except of maintaining law practice or attending client hearings
Not to consume intoxicants
Defendant allowed to participate in his own defense.

Recap of Jacque's disappearance

To recap what happened in the missing mom's case, Jacque Sue Waller, 39, went missing June 1 shortly after 4 p.m. She and her estranged husband had met with lawyers earlier that day to finalize their divorce. For more details read: Mom of triplets missing, ex allegedly threatened her life.

News reports and court documents show an argument ensued and according to Clay, Jacque left walked away on foot leaving her blue Honda Pilot in the driveway. She's never been seen or heard from since.

Jacque's Honda Pilot was later found abandoned with a flat tire along nearby Hwy 55 in Jackson.

According to Ruby, Clay was seen driving his red GMC Sierra pick-up truck with his boat attached the evening Jacque vanished. The boat was found the next day on a lot in Cape Girardeau where Clay had an office trailer.

Police since recovered and impounded Waller’s GMC pick-up truck, and the boat they believe may be involved in Jacque’s disappearance. TodaysTHV.com reports Investigators say they were examining Clay Waller's boat and truck for any evidence.

Police have named Clay Waller the only person of interest in the case and have classified Jacque’s case as “missing endangered.”

Estranged husband reportedly "flips off" searchers

Jacque's friends, family, and supporters shared their frustration and disgust over an incident they say occured during Saturday's massive ground search of about 200 people.

Jacque's mom, Ruby Rawson, wrote in an private Facebook message Saturday that Clay drove around flipping people off as they were searching for Jacque. Read more on the Find Jacque S Waller Facebook page.

The administrator of the page wrote on Sunday that his "friendly 1 finger waves" from his truck only strengthened their effort. She addressed Clay saying "when we are so exhausted and dehydrated from looking for Jacque PLEASE give us a pick me up!!" adding "sarcastic btw."

Clay recently went to police to report damage to his truck done, he thinks, by people who believe he is guilty in his estranged wife's disappearance.

Reward:

The Rawson’s have offered a reward of $3,500 for finding Jacque. “I don’t care anything about the arrest and conviction part,” her dad Stan said, “that will take care of itself. I want my little girl. I want the agony to stop. I know there will be more, we can handle that if we just get her back and we know where she is.”

Twitter:

Follow Jacque’s story on Twitter: @FindJacqueWalle.

Facebook:

Follow Jacque’s story on Facebook: Find Jacque S Waller page

Description:

Name: Jacque Sue Waller
Date missing: June 1, 2011, approx. 4 p.m.
Classification: Missing endangered
Missing from: Woodland Drive and N. Neal St. in Jackson, MO
Age: 39
Height: 5’2”
Weight: 135 lbs.
Eye color: Blonde
Hair color: Blue
Details: Her blue 2006 Honda Pilot, MO plates NA5D5J was found in I-55 near the 105-mile marker (near Jackson/Fruitland) abandoned. The police are interested in a Red 2009 GMC Sierra pickup truck with 4 doors during this same time frame. The truck may have been pulling an aluminum V-bottom boat with an 8-horse Johnson motor on the black trailer.