Classmate remembers Greg Jones murder case

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A classmate of Greg Jones and William "Chris" Niemet remembered the 1991 murder case that played a part in his life when he was younger.

Brendon Steenbergen said he thought of Jones and Niemet as friends.

"I feel like because of their being a little bit ostracized, they kind of hung out by default. Even though they did hang out, they fought a lot," Steenbergen said.

Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Locke Thompson announced on Thursday that Niemet was charged with first-degree murder in Jones' killing.

Steenbergen believed he wouldn't get an answer in the case.

"You know, I thought I would go to my grave and it would have never been answered," Steenbergen said. "And, here it was, thirty years later, and there's this press conference and they're going to bookend this huge thing that happened in my youth that I never thought would close."

Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler couldn't say what led to the break in the case, aside from advancements in forensic technology. He said the investigation has been ongoing for seven months.

Steenbergen admitted he wasn't personally close with Niemet, but said the teenaged Niemet would often escalate situations. He said Niemet would often get into fights.

"He would take things farther than even other teenage boys would go," Steenbergen said.

Authorities did not say on Thursday if they knew what the motive behind the killing was. Niemet did not have an attorney of record for contact as of Thursday night.