Joplin couple’s wedding day tainted by crime – KOAM

JOPLIN, MISSOURI –
What’s worse than rain on your wedding day?

One newly-wed Joplin couple finds out, and is seeking justice after their special day was tainted with crime.

Wesley and Kassandra Underwood tied the knot last Saturday night in Webb City, MO.

Unfortunately, during their reception, came a not so happy ending to their happiest day.

The bride’s purse was stolen out of an unlocked car in the parking lot.

“It left me speechless,” the groom said.

“It would really mean a lot to me to get it back because I have a necklace that was in there, a diamond necklace with a cross,” Kassandra said. “It was a gift from my parents when I was 16. My passport was in there. We couldn’t go on our honeymoon because we were going out of the country.”

Their trip to Cancun is off, and they are still unsure whether their reservations and plane tickets will be refunded.

Following a trail of $250 worth of fraudulent credit card charges, they obtained a surveillance image of the suspect at the Quik-Stop in Joplin off 20th and Schifferdecker Avenue around 7:30 Saturday night.

“The last place they were at, just so happened to be a gas station where my parents had friends who owned it, and so they pulled up their security footage,” Wesley said.

Surveillance images also show the suspect was driving an older, black Dodge pickup.

Although international travel is now out of the picture, the Underwoods plan to stay upbeat with a trip to Kansas City this week, and Florida at the end of July.

“I just decided that I don’t want to let this get me down,” Kassandra said. “I didn’t want to let this guy ruin my wedding day. I got married. I still have a God that loves me. I’m just trying to have a good attitude, hoping that it works out, that this guy gets caught and that justice is served.”

The couple has notified local law enforcement.

All fraudulent charges were made in the Joplin area.