Wanted sex offender’s arrest in Hallsville prompted large law enforcement response
Ryan Shiner
HALLSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ)
A number of law enforcement officers were seen in Hallsville on Thursday as they arrested a sex offender who had a warrant for his arrest, according to a social media post from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.
Eric Dwayne Gathings, 51, of Hallsville, is currently being held in the Boone County Jail on a U.S. Marshal hold and Boone County accusations of failure to register as a sex offender and being within 1,000 feet of a school. Charges were not available on Casenet on Thursday evening.
Residents may have noticed a large law enforcement at the corner of Route B and East Highway 124 around 4 p.m. A number of people had called ABC 17 News about seeing law enforcement around that time and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office was seen with an armored vehicle when an ABC 17 News photographer was at the scene. Gathings was arrested at 5 p.m.
Boone County Sheriff’s deputies and a Hallsville police officer are seen near an armored vehicle Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, near the corner of Route B and East Highway 124 in Hallsville. [Sam Roe/KMIZ
The post from the sheriff’s office says Gathings was unlawfully residing at a residence located near the Sassafras Moon and that he failed to register the address.
“Over the last three weeks, probable cause was developed to believe Gathings was residing at 121/123 E Highway 124 in Hallsville, MO, which is within 1,000 feet of a public school and within 1,000 feet of a childcare facility. On 10/23/2025, a search warrant was issued to seize Gathings from 121/123 E Highway 124,” the sheriff’s office wrote.
He was found hiding in an attic in the building, the sheriff’s office wrote.