Columbia man pleads guilty in 2016 fatal shooting
A Columbia man pleaded guilty Monday to his role in a December 2016 shooting that left another man dead.
Navarro Scott, 18, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison on the armed criminal action charge and seven years on the manslaughter charge and will serve the sentences concurrently.
Officers were sent to 1022 Claudell Lane in reference to a gunshot victim and found Dariel Reid and Keith Chambers wounded, according to a probable cause statement filed in the case.
Chambers later died as a result of his injuries.
Officers said they smelled burned marijuana when they entered the apartment, the statement said. Investigators determined Chambers wanted to buy marijuana and a deal was set up between him and Reid at Reid’s residence, according to the statement.
Documents said Reid agreed to sell the marijuana and after several people arrived at the apartment, including Scott, a dispute ensued over the weight of the marijuana.
Chambers then pulled a gun in an attempt to steal the marijuana, police said. Reid told police another person then grabbed the marijuana and Chambers then shot Reid in the arm, according to the statement. Reid told police Scott then shot Chambers, the statement said.
Reid is scheduled for a pretrial hearing at 10:30 a.m. Monday.
Another suspect, Brian Smith, pleaded guilty in June to second-degree robbery and armed criminal action and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Columbia Police Department data show violent crimes are down this year compared to 2017. Statistics below show crimes are on track to be lower than the five-year average.
Boone County prosecutor Jennifer Rodewald, handling Scott’s case, tells ABC 17 News one case is still pending related to the death of Chambers.
“As a result of a marijuana transaction, a man lost his life,” Rodewald said.
Community Policing released a report last month stating in the last 10 years violence connected to distribution of marijuana and the money it creates resulted in most of the homicides in Columbia.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been corrected to reflect that Scott pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action.
