Judge issues 7-year prison sentence in Jefferson City bar homicide

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison for a homicide outside of a bar.

Kamari Balton had been charged with murder in the August 2024 death of 49-year-old Rafael Ayala at Twisted Chicks, a Jefferson City bar. The owner told ABC 17 News at the time that the incident happened outside the business.

Balton pleaded guilty in May to involuntary manslaughter.

Police released few details about the case, such as how Ayala died and the possible motivation, and prosecutors used the grand jury to indict Balton, keeping details out of public charging documents.

The amended complaint in the case says Balton caused Ayala's death by "striking" him.

Judge Brian Stumpe sentenced Balton to seven years in prison with credit for time served.

Balton remained in the Cole County Jail on Wednesday. He's been in jail since September 2024, according to jail records.