I first found out about the Peace Church cemetery in Joplin, Missouri while conducting researching on the Joplin Spooklight at the Joplin Public Library. The reference librarian suggested that I check into it since I was that what’s his name ghost chaser guy. They said the infamous murderer Billy Cook was buried there and some kids had conducted occult rituals there before murdering another youth. It sounded pretty morbid so of course I decide to check it out. Well it turned out Billy Cook was as nasty as they said. As a matter fact he kidnapped and murdered an entire family children and all. He was born into a life without much promise. He had a physical deformity that caused one eyelid to droop and an abusive alcoholic father. Much of his youth was spent in foster homes. Many times he and his sister were and separate homes would runaway and live for long periods in the abandoned zinc mines. These same mines are where he would leave his victims. Billy was eventually executed in California’s gas chamber for another mans murder but his body was returned to Joplin where the family had him laid to rest with other members of the Cook family in side the Peace Church Cemetery. It is said that the location was vandalized and the headstone stolen so the body was exhumed and reburied in an undisclosed location on the property. Currently no one maintains the cemetery grounds



July 31, 2005.