Parsons man enters guilty plea in murder case of Dakota Patton
A Parsons man pleaded guilty Tuesday to murder and conspiracy in the death of Dakota Patton in the spring of 2023.
Clint W. Nibarger, 34, was charged in Neosho County District Court with first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder in the death of Patton, 23, on April 25, 2023.
Nibarger’s wife, Kimberly Nibarger, is charged with first-degree murder. She will return to court this week.
On Tuesday, Clint Nibarger appeared in court in Chanute for a pretrial hearing. He pleaded guilty to a reduced count of second-degree murder intentional and conspiracy, both are high level felonies that carry significant prison terms upon conviction.
Deputy Kansas Attorney General Jessica G. Domme told Judge Daryl Ahlquist that Nibarger and his wife, whose last name at the time was Thomas, discussed a murder. Thomas then drove Nibarger to rural Neosho County, where Nibarger shot Patton in the face and left his body where it fell. Patton’s body was found on May 8, 2023.
At the preliminary hearing, Fennis and Carolyn Garduno testified about conversations they had with the Nibargers when they visited them in Hollister, Missouri, on May 5, 2023. Days before, Clint Nibarger and Kimberly Thomas had gotten married in Miami, Oklahoma. The Nibargers told the Gardunos about the events in late April 2023 and that Clint Nibarger shot Patton and left his body. Clint Nibarger told the Gardunos that Patton had threatened his son, which the Missouri couple didn’t believe because Nibarger’s son was in Oklahoma. Kimberly Nibarger asked the Gardunos to help move Patton’s body but they declined. The Nibargers stayed with the Gardunos about three days, according to previous testimony.
Patton was last seen alive with Nibarger and Thomas on April 25, 2023, at Pete’s in Parsons. His body was found on the south side of 20th Road between Xavier and Wallace roads in Neosho County.
In Nibarger’s plea, attorneys agreed to recommend that Nibarger serve a controlling 293 months in prison, plus credit for time served in jail while his case has been pending. That’s about 24 years.
Ahlquist will sentence Nibarger on Dec. 3.
On Wednesday, Kimberly Nibarger stood mute in court in Erie and Judge Ahlquist entered a not guilty plea on her behalf for first-degree murder.
Attorneys and Ahlquist scheduled a four-day jury trial to begin Tuesday, March 11, in Erie. A hearing on pretrial motions is set for Jan. 3 in Chanute and a second pretrial hearing is set for Feb. 19 in Erie.
