March 28, 2024

Rubendall, Bost plead not guilty in Adams County homicide case

CORNING — Jon Rubendall, 41, and James Bost, 39, have pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder in the homicide of Allen Pafford.

Both Rubendall and Bost submitted written arraignments with pleas of not guilty. Rubendall’s was submitted July 13. Bost’s was submitted Monday.

Rubendall’s pretrial conference is set for Feb. 1, with jury trial set for March 2.

Bost’s pretrial conference is scheduled for Sept. 14, with jury trial set for Oct. 7.

Trial dates are tentative.

Rubendall and Bost were charged during a Department of Criminal Investigation case involving the homicide of Pafford, 44, who was found dead in his bedroom June 20 in Nodaway.

According to an Adams County Sheriff report, at approximately 11:19 a.m. June 20, Pafford’s mother called 911 after finding Pafford with an apparent bullet wound to the back of his head. A fired 9mm cartridge casing and a bullet that appeared to have come from a Hi-Point handgun were near the body, and a June 22 autopsy performed by the associate state medical examiner ruled Pafford’s death a homicide.

According to the report, Rubendall and Bost were found in Hiawatha, Kan., and interviewed as persons of interest. During the interview, Bost said Pafford owed Rubendall $3,000 for drugs. Several items of Pafford’s were found in Rubendall’s residence.

Darrell Simmons, a DCI special agent in charge, said the investigation is still ongoing and an agent is meeting with the prosecutor today to see what more there is to do.