Missouri troopers kill suspect in shootout; Find missing North Texas woman dead
COLLIN COUNTY, Texas — A man who police suspected in a Collin County woman's disappearance was killed in a shootout Friday with Missouri state troopers, who then found the victim dead.
Princeton police and fire departments responded to a house on Winding Meadow Trail at around 7:30 a.m. Friday in response to a reported house fire. Relatives told police that Delisha Evans, a woman who lived in the home, was missing and believed to be in imminent danger, Princeton police said.
Investigators identified Ryan Phillips as the primary suspect in Evans' disappearance, according to police. Working with the Texas Rangers, they tracked Phillips' vehicle to Missouri through a critical missing person broadcast and license plate readers. Missouri state troopers located Phillips' vehicle in the St. Louis area and attempted a traffic stop. Phillips drove off and troopers gave chase, leading to a high-speed pursuit.
During the chase, the vehicle crashed. Troopers and Phillips exchanged gunfire, and Phillips was hit. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Troopers later found Evans dead inside the vehicle.
It's not yet clear how Evans was killed, or whether the house fire is connected to her disappearance or death.
The Missouri Highway Patrol, Princeton Police Department and Texas Rangers are investigating.
