Court and Trials Archives

Sedalia man pleads guilty to 2019 murder for hire

September 28, 2021 9:16 PM Karl Wehmhoener

Jon Mark Wilson, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of interstate facilities in the commission of murder for hire.

Judge denies bid to immediately halt Columbia Public Schools mask mandate

September 28, 2021 5:26 AM Zola Crowder

Attorney General Eric Schmitt sought a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit he filed last month to end CPS’s mandate that all students and staff wear masks while indoors. Judge Brouck Jacobs denied that request in a two-plus-hour hearing Tuesday, along with a request to make the lawsuit class action, which would bring in other schools with mandates as defendants.

Woman pleads guilty to domestic assault after January shooting

September 25, 2021 12:03 AM Karl Wehmhoener

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia woman pleaded guilty in court to domestic assault after a Jan. 16 shooting at a business off Paris Road. According to court documents, Owens fired a gun during an argument with the victim at American Freight Furniture and Mattress. Police reported there were no injuries or property damage from the

Woman charged with murder faces offender abuse charges

September 24, 2021 11:13 PM ABC 17 News Team

A grand jury indicted a woman accused of having sexual relations with an inmate at the Jefferson City Correctional Center.

Man charged after road rage incident on I-70 in Montgomery County

September 23, 2021 11:49 PM Karl Wehmhoener

A Montgomery County prosecutor has charged a Saint Peters after a road rage incident on Interstate 70.

Federal jury convicts Columbia man of illegally possessing gun

September 21, 2021 8:07 PM Karl Wehmhoener

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A federal jury convicted a Columbia felon of illegally possessing a firearm after 30 minutes of deliberation. Columbia police arrested Jeremiah Ezekiel Brown, 36, in Nov. 2020 after a traffic stop. An officer found a loaded Glock 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in Brown’s waistband during the traffic stop. Detectives searching the

Joseph Elledge pleads not guilty to three felony charges.

Defense asks for delay in Joseph Elledge trial

September 20, 2021 5:04 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Defense attorneys want a delay in Joseph Elledge’s upcoming murder trial. Attorney Scott Rosenblum asked Judge Brouck Jacobs to consider pushing back the start of the Nov. 1 trial in Boone County. Rosenblum said “voluminous” records sent to them by prosecutor Dan Knight give them more work to do to vet the

Jefferson City woman gets probation after pleading guilty in steroids case

September 16, 2021 9:51 AM Zachary Farwell

According to the Cole County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Amber Duenkel, of Jefferson City, pleaded guilty Monday to an amended felony count of possession of a controlled substance. She was previously charged with a felony count of distribution of a controlled substance.

Man arrested for 2018 alleged ax attack in Columbia

September 15, 2021 11:34 PM Karl Wehmhoener

A Columbia man is charged with assault after an alleged incident in 2018 involving an ax at a home.

Columbia woman agrees to plea deal in federal child pornography case

September 15, 2021 10:51 PM ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia woman has agreed to a plea deal after being charged in 2019 in federal court with child pornography charges. Brittany Bailey was charged in May 2019 with knowingly distributing child pornography and conspiring with others to distribute and receive it. Bailey has agreed to plead guilty, charging her with the

Boone County lawyers ask commission to move courthouse murals

September 15, 2021 4:31 PM Lucas Geisler

The effort spearheaded by Rusty Antel and Gary Oxenhandler asks the county commission to take out murals placed on the landings of the courthouse steps. The lawyers say the depictions in some of them of people being whipped and hanged sends the wrong message to people either visiting the courthouse or defending themselves in a criminal case.

Man charged with deadly lake shooting appears in court

September 15, 2021 11:23 AM Leila Mitchell

A Hickory County man charged in connection with a deadly shooting at the Lake of the Ozarks appeared in court Wednesday morning.

Miller County search warrant reveals details in double homicide

September 14, 2021 10:55 PM ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Court documents reveal more about the circumstances around a Miller County double homicide that occurred around Sept. 8. Court documents show deputies found one person shot in the back of the head at home in Kaiser. Deputies also found a motorcycle, helmet and a bag in the woods behind the home, according

Fired Jefferson City educator argues file sharing didn’t violate federal law

September 14, 2021 4:30 AM Meghan Drakas

Tammy Ferry, a former tenured instructional technology teacher with the Jefferson City School District, was fired from the district in 2019 after transferring thousands of documents onto her personal Google account.

Jefferson City man admits guilt in shooting cases

September 10, 2021 1:09 PM Zachary Farwell

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Jefferson City man pleaded guilty earlier this week to charges in five cases, including admitting to a role in two shootings. According to the Cole County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Jaquan Whirley pleaded guilty on Wednesday to felony counts of receiving stolen property, resisting arrest, first-degree assault, second-degree accessory to robbery,

Woman charged in murder-for-hire plot tests positive for THC while out on bond

September 10, 2021 11:19 AM Karl Wehmhoener

A Camden County woman charged in a murder-for-hire plot tested positive for THC while out on bond in August.

Columbia Municipal Court offers warrant amnesty next week

September 8, 2021 11:26 PM Karl Wehmhoener

The city of Columbia Municipal Court will offer warrant amnesty for individuals who wish to turn themselves into the court from Sept. 13-17.

Columbia woman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for a Feb. shooting

September 6, 2021 8:55 PM ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Friday in a Feb. 2021 shooting. Elizabeth Dye received a 20-year prison sentence in the death of Maya Wootton. Police say Dye was homeless and living in a car, and shot Wootton in the basement of Wootton’s home on Orchard Court Lucas Harper pleaded guilty last

Woman accused of killing Jefferson City boy denied bond

September 3, 2021 5:48 AM Zola Crowder

A bond hearing is set for 2 p.m. on Friday for a woman accused of killing a 4 year-old boy from Jefferson City.

Dunkin’ store owner agrees to $22,000 settlement over labor claims

August 10, 2020 6:06 PM Lucas Geisler

Several mid-Missouri businesses operating as Dunkin’ stores have settled a labor issue with the federal government.