MCS Report #91A
Classification: Homicide
Requesting Agency: St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department
Date of Activation: 08/28/1981
Commander and Department: Lt. Don Lassing, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Dept
Deputy Report Officer and Department: Lt. Scharnhorst, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Dept
Victims: Herbert Cecil Kemp and Georginia C. Kemp
Suspect: Joseph Nickolas Beck, Jr.
The St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department requested the assistance of the Major Case Squad in investigating the deaths of Herbert Kemp (age 60) and his wife, Georginia Kemp (age 53). At approximately 1:06pm, deputies responded to a vacant lot on Linhart Drive north of Meyer Road near Festus, MO for a report of two bodies being found. In the vacant lot they found the bodies of Herbert and Georginia Kemp. It was determined they had both been shot at their residence in St. Charles and their bodies were dumped in the vacant lot approximately 50 miles from their home. They were both pronounced dead on scene.
As a result of this investigation, Joseph Beck Jr (age 20), who was the boyfriend of the Kemp’s granddaughter, was charged with two counts of Capital Murder.
