There’s more information about the Nebraska man charged with arson in the death of a Yankton, South Dakota woman whose body was found in her car on the Santee Sioux Reservation in Nebraska.
47-year-old Joseph James of Norfolk is accused in federal court with allegedly setting fire to a vehicle owned by 59-year-old Phyliis Hunhoff on November 5th on the reservation.
Hunhoff was last seen leaving her mother’s house in South Dakota November 4th.
Her body was found in the burned car three days later.
Court documents say that James was seen on surveillance video two separtate times at the Ohiya Casino gas station early on November 5th getting gas while driving Hunhoff’s vehicle.
The second time he puts gas in a soda bottle and has blood on his t-shirt.
He later left the bloody shirt at a home on the reservation he stopped at to ask for directions.
That shirt was recovered by authorities who say DNA testing shows it is a match for Hunhoff’s DNA.
James has requested a public defender.
He’s due back in court for a preliminary hearing and detention hearing on December 5th.
