Burrell Mohler Sr Lived in Basement after Wife Found Pornography New Documents Say, by Donald Bradley, Kansas City Star, November 19, 2009

Burrell Mohler Sr. Lived in Basement after Wife Found Pornography, New Documents Say

By Donald Bradley
Kansas City Star
November 19, 2009

http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1579358.html

The patriarch at the center of the Mohler child sex case has lived in his basement ever since his wife found his trove of incest pornography, new documents say.

Burrell Mohler Sr.

When investigators showed up recently with a search warrant, she gave them a key to a locked file cabinet. That's where they found magazines with names such as Family Taboo and Best of Family Secrets.

Also taken in the search of Burrell Mohler Sr.'s house in Independence were sex toys, video recording equipment and homemade VHS tapes.

Lafayette County Prosecutor Kellie Ritchie said Wednesday she did not know what was on the tapes.

More charges in the ever-expanding case are expected today, adding to the 31 already filed in the rural Missouri case that has caught attention around the world.

Sandra Mohler, the wife, told authorities she found the pornography hidden above a ceiling tile. After that, the couple have lived in separate levels of the house.

Other items taken in the search: four computers, rifles, shotguns, pistols and adult movies, such as "Pornocchio."

Mohler, 77, is in jail in Lexington, Mo., after his arrest last week on allegations of sexual child abuse that included rape, sodomy and bestiality. His four sons also are charged in the alleged assaults in which the family victims were allegedly as young as 5 years old.

The sons are Burrell Mohler Jr., 53; David Mohler, 52; Jared Mohler, 48; and Roland Mohler, 47. A brother of Burrell Mohler Sr., Darrel Mohler, is also charged.

Since the case broke last week, family members have voiced support of the defendants. A couple of dozen took up much of the courtroom Tuesday when the men appeared for a hearing.

News of the pornography did not seem to change their resolve.

"That's unfortunate, but it doesn't convict them," said Bill Bruch, a cousin of the senior Mohler.

In other developments, the major case squad that initially investigated the case disbanded Wednesday, leaving the investigation to the Lafayette County Sheriff's Office.