Is Richard Dean Bird dead or still missing? Here's what we know amid Blue Alert after deputy's fatal shooting

A shocking act of violence has rocked southwest Missouri after a deputy was fatally shot in what began as a routine traffic stop. The Missouri State Highway Patrol has issued a Blue Alert following the deadly incident in Highlandville, located in Christian County. Now, the authorities have identified the 45-year-old Richard Dean Bird as the main suspect in an update, who was released shortly after 9:30 pm Monday. Despite this, he still remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous. But where is he currently? Let's find out.



The violence erupted Monday afternoon in Highlandville, a quiet town in Christian County, Missouri, when a routine traffic stop turned fatal. Authorities said the deputy was shot during the encounter and later died from the injuries, prompting an immediate and coordinated response from multiple law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Richard Dean Bird had been driving a white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado. The truck has since been recovered, but Bird was not found inside. However, the investigation into the matter has started to track his whereabouts as they work to piece together his movement after he abandoned the vehicle.



According to authorities who shared a post about the incident on Facebook, the whereabouts of Richard Dean Bird are still unknown as the manhunt continues. While another update indicated that his vehicle was spotted near the scene of the shooting shortly before 4 pm on Monday, February 23.

The white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado, described as having an extended cab, silver brush guard, rusted roof, black body trim, tinted rear windows, and a three-ball hitch, was later recovered after being found abandoned. Moreover, in the post shared on Facebook, the Missouri State Highway Patrol wrote, "BLUE ALERT Update: A search is underway near Reeds Spring in Stone County for Richard Dean Bird, 45, who is accused of shooting and killing a Christian County Deputy. The suspect’s truck was found abandoned nearby. Report sightings by calling 911."

While on the other hand, many on X (formerly called Twitter) claimed that he was shot and he is dead. One wrote on a post, "He’s dead! Multiple officers injured."

Another wrote, "They just killed him! Multiple officers injured."

Well, this is not the first time; court records show that Richard Dean Bird previously faced serious charges in Johnson County, Kansas, in 2014, including attempted first-degree murder and theft, with bond set at $1 million.

However, publicly available records and past news coverage indicate the case may have been dismissed or reduced to a lesser charge, such as aggravated assault, with Bird ultimately released for time served.



The lack of documentation reflecting a lengthy prison sentence suggests the outcome likely stemmed from prosecutorial discretion, such as dropped charges or a plea agreement, rather than a judge overturning or shortening a conviction for attempted murder.