Mom hopes court’s interest in son’s murder case can exonerate him

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    JACKSON COUNTY, Missouri (KCTV/KSMO) — A mother is hoping new evidence and recent interest from the Missouri Supreme Court can help exonerate her son from a life sentence.

“It’s hard not to see my son at the door on Sunday morning, it’s hard that I can’t hug him,” says Eve Moffatt.

A son Moffatt has been missing for the last 18 years, and as another Christmas goes by, it doesn’t get any easier.

“I have one son Kevin, but Keith wasn’t here, and we make the most of it we make the most of it,” says Moffatt.

Eve’s other son Keith Carnes is in prison.

“He’s made mistakes. He’s made some mistakes, but he’s not guilty of this crime he is accused of,” says Moffatt.

Carnes was sentenced to life in prison without parole, for the 2003 murder of 24- year-old Larry White.

From day one, Carnes and his family have fought that he’s innocent.

“I want you to understand that he did not do that crime and he needs to be home,” says Moffatt.

Some recently discovered evidence in this case might help make that happen.

“If this case were to go to a new jury now, he would be acquitted in fifteen minutes,’ says Carnes’ attorney Kent Gipson.

Some of the new evidence Carnes’ defense team have filed at the Missouri Supreme Court highlight a lack of physical evidence to connect Carnes with the crime scene, discovery of documents forged with Carnes’ signature and two prime witnesses have recanted their statements.

Carnes’ defense team are also focusing in on the former prosecutor in the case, Amy McGowan.

She was involved in the Ricky Kidd case.

Last year Kidd was exonerated in the 1996 double murder he spent 23 years in prison for but didn’t commit.

In the past, Carnes’ case has been denied an appeal, but with these new question marks the Missouri Supreme Court has shown interest.

Last week they even appointed a special master in his case.

“The Missouri Supreme Court obviously believes there is enough substance to the case that they wanted to allow a special master who is a trial judge to hear the evidence,” says Gipson.

That could result in another hearing and future trial for Carnes.

“So desperate to get him here to have him exonerated just to have him here, I miss holding my son,” says Moffatt.

KCTV5 reached out to the current Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker about the case, but we have not heard back from her.

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