Supreme Court of Missouri / Nov 5, 2024
State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. Chad Thomas, Appellant.
Chad Thomas appealed his convictions for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, arguing the circuit court erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence. He contended the evidence was discovered during an unlawful search because the officer extended a traffic stop without reasonable suspicion. The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's judgment, holding that the totality of the circumstances surrounding Thomas's behavior and responses during the stop provided the officer with reasonable suspicion to continue the detention and conduct a canine sniff.