KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The husband of a missing woman presumed dead by authorities appeared in court Thursday on an unrelated gun theft charge and later bonded out of jail.
Shon Pernice was arrested Wednesday on a gun theft charge unrelated to the disappearance and presumed death of his wife, 35-year-old Renee Pernice.
In Shon Pernice’s first court appearance Thursday, he pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of stealing a firearm.
A Clay County judge set his bond at $25,000 and advised him he was not to carry a firearm at any time.
The Kansas City Police Department Fugitive Apprehension Unit arrested Shon Pernice Wednesday at an Independence fire station.
Pernice, who works as a firefighter and paramedic for the Independence Fire Department, is accused of stealing a neighbor’s gun.
According to
Pernice's probable cause statement, on Jan. 31 of this year, Pernice’s neighbor, with whom Pernice and his children had visited earlier in the day, noticed a .22 caliber pistol missing.
The next day, Pernice showed up at the neighbor’s home, returned the gun and apologized for taking it. The neighbor then alerted authorities.
Pernice’s wife, Renee Pernice, went missing Jan. 2 from her North Kansas City home.
Earlier this month, the Clay County Prosecutor’s office said the case was going to proceed as a death investigation.
In a report released in January, police say they found blood in Renee’s garage and divorce papers in her office.
The report also states that Renee’s husband, Shon Pernice gave conflicting stories about when she disappeared.
"We think the report stands on its own. We believe it shows how hard the police are working," Renee’s father told NBC Action News soon after the report was released.
Renee and Shon have two children together who are said to be staying with their dad. Shon also has a daughter from a previous marriage.
Shon Pernice told his wife's relatives that he last saw her on New Year's Day, according to an affidavit for a search warrant on the Pernice home, but told detectives several days later that he last saw her on Jan. 2.
Renee's body has not been found and authorities say while there were dozens of leads in the case, they have no suspects.
Pernice is due back in court for the gun theft charge on March 31.
