First-degree murder charge filed against Jefferson City inmate serving 1,000-year sentence

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City inmate was charged with first-degree murder and other charges after authorities claim he killed another inmate on June 4.

Brandon Cole Smith, 43, of Licking, was charged on Tuesday in Cole County with first-degree murder, violence to an inmate and armed criminal action after a grand jury indictment was filed. Department of Corrections records show he is being held at Jefferson City Correctional Center.

The indictment claims Smith killed the victim, SK, after “striking” him. A probable cause statement was not filed in the case on Tuesday.

Smith is already serving a more-than-1,000-year sentence after he was found guilty in 2018 in Wester County for 11 counts of first-degree assault, one count of child abuse and six counts of armed criminal action.

Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson told ABC 17 News the victim’s name is Stanley Kenaga.

A June 5 press release from the DOC says Kenaga was pronounced dead at Jefferson City Correctional Center at 6:30 p.m. June 4. He was 36 years old.

The release says Kenaga was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder, along with sentences for first-degree burglary, stealing, second-degree arson and abandoning a corpse from Jasper County. He was received by the DOC on Aug. 30, 2023, the release says.  

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