Police credit witnesses, investigators for arrest in murder case
UPDATE: 6:30 p.m.: Jeremy Humphrey is charged with 2nd degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm. He is currently being held on a cash-only bond of $1 million.
Witness statements played a noteworthy role in the investigation, according to the Columbia Police Department and Daniel Knight, the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney.
“A couple of witnesses indicated that Humphrey came to their residence and he admitted that he was actually the person that pulled the trigger and killed the victim in this case,” Knight said.
CPD Public Information Officer Bryana Maupin says there are currently open cases that could be pushed forward by witness cooperation. “We have open homicides still,” Maupin said. “The Rickie Dunn homicide is a perfect example of that. There were several people that probably witnessed what happened that night, and we haven’t had those people come forward.”
The Columbia Police Department aims to bridge the gap with neighborhoods with community meetings scheduled throughout October.
UPDATE: 7:45 a.m.: Columbia police have confirmed Jeremy Terrell Humphrey was arrested last night in connection to the shooting death of Nathan Taylor.
Police say detectives were able to determine Humphrey and Taylor “had been in a disturbance shortly before Taylor was shot.”
Humphrey was arrested at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Highway 63 connector during a traffic stop.
He has a cash only bond of $1 million.
ORIGINAL: Jeremy Humphrey has been arrested and booked for second degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to jail records.
Humphrey’s name came up in a probable cause statement for Jamale Marteen, another man arrested in connection with the McKee Street murder. Marteen has been charged with tampering with evidence after admitting to deleting text messages between he and Humphrey, according to the document.
Court records say witnesses told investigators Humphrey was involved in the murder and saw the same style truck he’s known to drive at the scene shortly before the shooting.
The shooting happened Friday night in the 1800 block of McKee Street. When police arrived, they found Nathan Taylor with gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.
Marteen and Humphrey are expected in Boone County Court Wednesday.
