Charges against Branson man filed in Boone County for burning murder victim in car 5 years ago

More charges have been filed against a Branson man who is awaiting trial for the murder of a man at his house in 2021. Thirty-eight-year-old Rusty Cain Harvey was arrested in June of 2021 for the murder of Eric Williamson of Springfield who had been reported missing 15 days earlier.

Harvey was arrested in Sharp County at a relative’s house, barricaded in a closet with multiple firearms and ammunition.

According to information from the Branson Police Department, Harvey said the victim had a gun and Harvey believed he was going to use it to harm his family. Harvey said he used a .22 rifle to shoot the victim.

The new charges were filed last week in Boone County. According to the probable cause affidavit from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, as the investigation into the shooting developed, it was learned several witnesses saw the shooting and reported the victim’s body and vehicle were removed from the scene and burned “deep in the woods” somewhere in Arkansas.

After being arrested in Sharp County, Harvey said Williamson had come to his house to collect on a debt for marijuana and made threats to his family and he shot him in self defense. He gave law enforcement directions to where the burned out car and body were.

Investigators went to the Myrtle area and found the burned out vehicle belonging to the victim along with his remains inside.

Harvey faces felony charges of arson, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence. His bond on those charges is set at $100,000.

Harvey’s murder trial in Taney County is set for Oct. 26.

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