Murder charges dismissed for two men accused in death of Kirbyville man

JASPER COUNTY, Texas (KTRE) - Murder charges have been dismissed against two men accused in the disappearance and death of Joshua Larkin, the Jasper County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday. [KTRE]

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A significant development has emerged in the investigation surrounding Joshua Larkin's death. On Thursday, the Jasper County Sheriff's Office disclosed that murder charges filed against two suspects have been withdrawn, marking a shift in the prosecution strategy roughly two years after Larkin disappeared on Nov. 17, 2022.

Justin Taylor James faced the dismissal of his murder charge after investigators determined that evidence gathered during their probe did not substantiate the charge. The sheriff's office indicated that additional charges against James may remain pending as the investigation continues. Separately, Johnathan "Cody" Bierhalter's murder charge was dropped following the emergence of information suggesting that Larkin's death occurred within Jasper County boundaries rather than in neighboring Newton County, where authorities had initially believed the incident took place.

Officials stated they plan to refile the murder charges against Bierhalter once the precise jurisdiction where the death occurred has been definitively established through further investigation. The clarification of jurisdictional lines appears critical to the continued prosecution of the case.

Since Larkin's initial disappearance, authorities have arrested five men connected to the matter. In addition to James and Bierhalter, investigators charged Rodney Allen Blankenship and James Alex Jones with tampering with evidence with the intent to impair remains. Both James and Bierhalter had also faced the evidence-tampering charge alongside their murder allegations.

Last year, law enforcement personnel from both the sheriff's office and the Jasper County District Attorney's Office conducted an extensive search of a rural property located off Farm Road 252 near Kirbyville. The operation included heavy excavation equipment used to investigate an abandoned well structure on the premises.

The sheriff's office emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing and that specific details are being withheld to preserve the integrity of the case as authorities continue coordinating with the district attorney's office on prosecutorial strategy.