Staff writer
A woman identified by state police as the niece of a missing West Finley Township man was arrested Friday, charged with possessing guns illegally.
State police said they were investigating the disappearance of Michael S. King, 52, of 136 Jake Hill Road, when they received information that Misty Blue Morrison, 30, of 865 Addison St., Washington, had guns. King last had contact with family members on Dec. 3.
King suffers from a seizure disorder and high blood pressure. He is 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighs 245 pounds, has blue eyes and is bald. King was last seen wearing an orange hunting coat, blue jeans and white K-Swiss sneakers.
One of the handguns in Morrison's possession was identified as one that King would carry with him, police stated in the complaint filed against Morrison. Morrison, who has a previous felony conviction in Iowa, is not permitted to have weapons.
According to police, a Washington man told authorities that he had gone to Morrison's home this month to purchase heroin when she asked if he was interested in buying any guns. She had a muzzleloader, a bolt-action rifle and a .25-caliber handgun, police said.
The witness reportedly purchased the long guns and received the handgun a few days later. Concerned that the handgun might have been used in illegal activity, the Washington man destroyed it and threw it in a trash bin. It was later recovered by police.
Morrison was arraigned before District Judge Mark Wilson on three counts each of convicted persons not to carry a firearm, theft and receiving stolen property and one count of firearms not to be carried without a license. She was placed in Washington County Jail on $10,000 bond.
Anyone with information on King's whereabouts is asked to call state police at 724-223-5200.