Sugar Creek man charged with killing business partner, hiding body in concrete

September 4, 2026 - 04:57

Court records show the suspect, identified as 54-year-old Mark Douglas, was taken into custody on Tuesday. The charges stem from the disappearance of 61-year-old Robert Henson, who was reported missing by family members last week after he failed to show up for work.

According to the probable cause statement, investigators were led to an Independence property linked to a business venture shared by both men. During a search of the home's basement, officers discovered a large, freshly poured concrete structure that had not yet fully cured. After breaking through the material, they located human remains later confirmed to be Henson's.

Witnesses told police that Douglas and Henson had argued over financial disputes in the days before Henson vanished. Surveillance footage from a nearby hardware store allegedly shows Douglas purchasing multiple bags of quick-setting concrete mix on the same day Henson was last seen.

Douglas is being held without bond at the Jackson County Detention Center. His first court appearance is scheduled for Thursday. An attorney has not yet been listed for him in online court records. The investigation remains ongoing, and police are asking anyone with additional information to contact the Independence Police Department's tip line.