ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A 66-year-old local man who was reported missing on the morning he was due in court to stand trial for numerous sex crimes has been found dead.

Michael Taber had been staying at an apartment in the 1900 block of Lemay Ferry Road. He went missing around 2 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 29. According to the St Louis County Police Department, Taber left his cellphone and a suicide note behind, as well as an ankle monitor.

Court records indicate Taber was ordered to wear an ankle monitor while awaiting trial in St. Louis City for one count of second-degree statutory rape, two counts of second-degree child molestation, one count of second-degree rape, two counts of second-degree aggravated sexual abuse, one count of second-degree statutory sodomy, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon.

St. Louis County Police sent out a tweet Monday afternoon saying Taber had been located. A department spokesperson said Taber was found dead due to a probable self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police did not say where Taber’s body was discovered.

ST. LOUIS – There will be a parade of planets this month. December 6-10 you will be able to see three planets and then on December 12 you will be able to see 5. There will be a crescent moon earlier in the month which will provide less moonlight, making it easier to see the planets.

The Missouri Department of Conservation shared this timeline for planet viewing:

• On December 6th, the crescent moon will appear near Venus within 3 degrees in the early evening sky. Venus is the brightest planet.
• On December 7th, the crescent moon and Saturn are about 5 degrees apart. Saturn is a fainter planet with a gold color. If conditions are right, you can see its rings with a telescope during twilight, and may even see its largest moon, Titan,
• On December 8th, the moon approaches close to Jupiter, our largest planet. With clear conditions and a telescope, you may be able to see its four largest moons.
• On December 10th, look for the moon, Jupiter, and Saturn forming a nice row in the sky.

The St. Louis Astronomy Facebook page says the best time to observe 5 planets together will be after sunset on December 12. Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and the moon will be visible to the naked eye. You will need a pair of binoculars or a small telescope to see Neptune, Uranus, Ceres (a dwarf planet), and Pallas (a large asteroid).

The Miner’s Candle fire burning near Idaho Springs is 100% contained, fire officials said Tuesday.

The wildfire started Sunday as a structure fire and it forced residents of about two dozen homes to evacuate. The fire, which destroyed two homes, a cabin and a small number of outbuildings, burned about 15 acres, according to the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office.

Strong winds on Sunday and extremely dry weather fueled the fire. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.

The #MinersCandleFire is now at 100% containment.

This is the last update, unless something changes significantly.

— Clear Creek County OEM (@ClearCreekOEM) December 7, 2021