A violent repeat offender with a notorious record for shooting at law enforcement and a history of arrests across two states tragically claimed the lives of two Missouri deputies before police ultimately shot him dead, authorities have confirmed.
Richard Dean Bird, 45, had been involved in criminal activities for over a decade in both Kansas and Missouri. His extensive criminal history came to a fatal conclusion in Christian County on Monday, according to officials and court records.
Bird met his end after a 30-minute gunfight with deputies, during which authorities say he killed Deputy Gabriel Ramirez, 30, during a traffic stop just south of Highlandville shortly after 4 p.m. on Monday. Later, Deputy Michael Hislope, 40, was also killed during the intense overnight search for Bird, as reported by Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole.
Records from the court and jail bookings indicate that Bird had been arrested in Stone County, Missouri, on February 20, 2026, mere days before the fatal incident. He faced charges including second-degree burglary, unlawful possession of a firearm, and theft of property valued at $750 or more, according to information from Stone County jail records.
A booking photo of Richard Dean Bird, identified by authorities as the suspect in the shooting deaths of two deputies in Christian County, Missouri, was shared on the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Facebook page.
According to court documents referenced by The New York Times, Bird had recently faced charges for receiving stolen property. In this case, police discovered him in possession of collectible coins, like Indian-head pennies valued around $2,000, which had been inside a reportedly stolen safe. Officers also found documents he allegedly tried to destroy by burning, as noted in the warrant. Bird was released on a $50,000 bond last Friday, as reported by the Times.
Bird’s violent record dates back to 2014.
In September of that year, he was arrested after allegedly firing multiple shots from a rifle at a Johnson County, Kansas, sheriff’s deputy investigating a theft at a construction site near 191st Street and State Line Road, according to The Kansas City Star.
The outlet reported Bird fired “multiple shots from a rifle at the deputy, who was not hit.” He was initially charged with attempted first-degree murder and theft, and his bond was set at $1 million.
Bird later pleaded guilty to reduced charges and was sentenced in 2016 on five counts stemming from that case, according to court records. Kansas Department of Corrections records show he was released in April 2023.
Court filings over the years show Bird faced multiple additional charges, including burglary, tampering, trespassing, theft and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Richard Dean Bird had a lengthy criminal history before he killed two deputies, police said. (Missouri State Highway Patrol)
During a press conference Tuesday, Sheriff Cole confirmed Bird had a “lengthy” criminal record and multiple prior arrests.
The initial traffic stop that led to the deputies’ deaths happened just after 4 p.m. Monday, officials said. Authorities have not disclosed what prompted the stop.
Deputy Ramirez was killed during the initial encounter, Cole said.
Bird fled, triggering a massive manhunt involving approximately 150 officers from local, state and federal agencies, including the FBI, U.S. Marshals and ATF.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a Blue Alert for a white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup truck, Missouri license plate 9MGX36, after a Christian County deputy was fatally shot near Highlandville. (Missouri State Highway Patrol Facebook)
Early Tuesday morning, deputies tracked Bird into wooded terrain near Reeds Spring. Cole said officers attempted communication but “received no response other than shooting at us.”
Deputy Hislope was killed during the exchange. Deputies Josh Wahl and Austin McCall were wounded but are recovering from injuries that are not considered life-threatening.
Bird was shot and killed during the gunfight, authorities said.
The loss has shaken the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, which has about 30 patrol officers and roughly 140 employees overall, according to Kathy Thimesch, an executive administrator with the agency who spoke to The New York Times. Thimesch told the outlet she was not aware of another officer from the department ever having been killed in the line of duty.
In a Facebook post, Cole offered a tribute to the fallen deputies.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we mourn the loss of two of our own — Deputy Gabriel Ramirez and Deputy Michael Hislope — who gave their lives in the line of duty,” Cole wrote.
Christian County Sheriff’s Office deputies Gabriel Ramirez and Michael Hislope were killed during a deadly encounter in southwest Missouri. Authorities said the suspect was killed following a manhunt and gun battle in wooded terrain near Highlandville. (Christian County Sheriff’s Office Facebook)
Ramirez joined the department on March 14, 2025, and though his time with the agency was brief, Cole said “his commitment to serving others and protecting this community was clear from the very beginning.”
Hislope had served since October 28, 2019, and was described by Cole as “a dedicated deputy, a trusted colleague, and a valued member of our sheriff’s office family.”
“These men answered the call to serve, putting the safety of others before their own, including serving our nation in the U.S. Army,” Cole wrote. “Their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to Christian County will never be forgotten.”
The case also drew reaction from national and state leaders.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., condemned the killings and pointed to Bird’s criminal history.
“Two heroic deputies in my home state of Missouri were senselessly murdered by a thug with a long history of violence toward law enforcement,” Hawley said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “We need accountability for these soft-on-crime policies destroying our communities.”
Joe Gamaldi, national vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police, called the killings “horrific news out of Missouri” and urged Americans to keep the deputies’ families in their thoughts and prayers as they face “unimaginable grief.”
“History will not be kind to our nation for its treatment of our protectors… sickening!” Gamaldi wrote.
The conservative social media account Libs of TikTok described Bird as a “career criminal” and questioned how someone with a lengthy record was back on the streets. In a post on X, the account cited Bird’s prior charges, including burglary, unlawful possession of a firearm and the 2014 attempted first-degree murder case, and asked, “Why does this keep happening?”
Missouri leaders also weighed in and honored the fallen officers.
Rep. Eric Burlison honored the fallen deputies on the House floor, noting both were U.S. Army veterans who “continued their service as deputies in southwest Missouri.”
“We remember their sacrifice and pray for their families, fellow officers, and the entire law enforcement community,” Burlison said.
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., called the incident “a devastating loss in Christian County.”
“As local law enforcement works to bring the suspect to justice, my prayers are with the deputy’s loved ones and those who served shoulder to shoulder with him to keep Missouri safe,” Schmitt wrote on X.
The FBI also issued a statement offering condolences to the deputies’ families and colleagues, noting Ramirez had served nearly a year with the department and Hislope more than six years.
Missouri officials described the killings as a devastating loss for the state’s law enforcement community.
Sheriff Cole called it one of the “darkest days” in county history and said the department’s focus now is planning two funerals and supporting injured deputies.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
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