Court and Trials Archives

Lawyers for Joseph Elledge request new trial

December 7, 2021 9:20 AM Zachary Farwell

Lawyers for Joseph Elledge filed the motion Friday in Boone County.

Prosecution expected to continue questioning witnesses in Lynlee Renick murder trial

December 7, 2021 5:29 AM Meghan Drakas

Renick is accused of killing her husband, world-renowned snake breeder, Ben Renick on the couple’s Montgomery County property on June 8, 2017.

Motion to dismiss filed for one suspect accused of killing a four-year-old girl

December 6, 2021 10:24 PM Karl Wehmhoener

WARSAW, Mo. (KMIZ) Kourtney Aumen’s lawyers filed to dismiss her charges that she is accused of abusing and killing 4-year-old Jessica Mast. Aumen’s lawyers say the charges do not state a cause against Aumen and do not inform Aumen of the nature and substance of the charges against her. Law enforcement believes she and three

Alleged co-conspirators testify in trial over Montgomery County snake breeder’s murder

December 6, 2021 10:34 AM Matthew Sanders

Lawyers for a woman accused of killing her snake breeder husband in Montgomery County blamed Ben Renick’s death on his wife’s ex-boyfriend during opening statements in her murder trial Monday.

Murder trial starts Monday for Lynlee Renick, accused of killing her reptile breeding husband

December 5, 2021 7:01 PM Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ) The murder trial of Lynlee Renick is set to start on Monday. Renick is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of her husband, Ben Renick. According to court records, the trial is set to start under Judge Kevin Crane in the Boone County Courthouse at

Man accused in deadly shooting extradited to Boone County

December 6, 2021 8:08 AM Zachary Farwell

BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man accused of a deadly shooting has been extradited back to Boone County. According to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Mark Achterberg, 36, was booked into the Boone County Jail on Sunday afternoon. The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office charged him last month with first-degree murder and armed criminal action

Columbia man pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in 2020 shooting

December 3, 2021 9:45 PM Karl Wehmhoener

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man pleaded guilty to first-degree involuntary manslaughter in connection with a killing on Doris Drive in 2020. Noah Swyers pleaded guilty in the Feb. 5, 2020 shooting death of 17-year-old Joseph Taylor. Swyers will serve seven years minus any time already served according to online court records. A resident at the

Columbia nature activist argues for justification defense in trail protest charge

December 3, 2021 7:27 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The attorney for a Columbia woman charged with trespassing during a 2019 protest wants a jury to consider whether her actions were justified. Ben Faber, the attorney for nature activist Sutu Forte, asked Judge Kim Shaw to reconsider her decision to bar the defense from making a claim of justification at trial.

Invasion of privacy victim speaks out

December 2, 2021 9:53 PM Leila Mitchell

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) One of Ronald Dameron’s victims is speaking out in the hopes something can be done about Missouri’s invasion of privacy law. The woman’s name will not be shared to protect her identity. A Columbia man was charged multiple times for invasion of privacy after allegedly taking unwanted pictures. The woman is one

Proud Boys member sentenced to over 7 years on firearms charges

December 2, 2021 2:26 PM Karl Wehmhoener

ALBANY, NY (KMIZ) A Proud Boys member is sentenced to over seven years in prison for a federal gun charge; the member also formerly plead guilty to other charges including one from when he purchased ammunition through a straw purchaser in Columbia. Jonathan M. Cuney, 38, was sentenced to 87 months in prison, to be followed

Downtown Columbia shooting suspect faces federal gun charge

December 1, 2021 10:14 PM Karl Wehmhoener

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A downtown Columbia shooting suspect is now facing a federal charge of felon in possession of a firearm. Christopher Michael Sledd is charged with assault, unlawful use of a firearm, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm in Boone County after a Nov. 6 shooting. According to a probable cause

No bond for Columbia man accused in downtown shooting

December 1, 2021 3:45 AM Ben Fein

Judge Kim Shaw denied bond for Todd Nesbitt Jr. during a morning hearing. He had previously been jailed on a $5,000 cash-only bond. He remained in the Boone County Jail on Wednesday.

Columbia man sentenced for taking unwanted photos of women

November 26, 2021 12:12 PM Zachary Farwell

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A judge has sentenced a Columbia man who tried to secretly take photos of women over the summer. According to online court records, a Boone County judge sentenced Ronald L. Dameron on Wednesday to 180 days in jail with credit for time served in six cases. The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office had

New judge appointed to oversee trial of a Jefferson City woman accused of killing a child

November 24, 2021 9:23 PM ABC 17 News Team

A new judge will oversee the case against a Jefferson City woman accused of killing a four-year-old boy.

Benton County deputies arrest man after deadly shooting

November 24, 2021 6:39 AM Ben Fein

BENTON, Mo. (KMIZ) Benton County Deputies have arrested a man after a deadly shooting on Tuesday morning. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office said deputies have arrested Jason Kroenke, 25, for first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Kroenke is accused of shooting and killing Tarah D. McIntyre, 27, on Tuesday morning at a home in the

Columbia man shares prison exoneration story

November 23, 2021 9:46 PM Leila Mitchell

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) What’s it like to be incarcerated for several years and then exonerated for a crime you didn’t commit? Ryan Ferguson, a Columbia man who was released from prison after 10 years for the 2001 murder of Kent Heitholt, shared insight into what it’s like to be freed from prison after several years

Bond hearing rescheduled for Columbia man charged in downtown shooting

November 23, 2021 6:27 AM Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The bond hearing for a Columbia man charged in a deadly downtown shooting was rescheduled for Dec. 1 at 9 a.m. Todd Nesbitt Jr., 28, is charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action after the Nov. 14 shooting left five people hurt and one man dead. He is also charged with

Columbia man sentenced for role in May shooting

November 22, 2021 8:41 PM Karl Wehmhoener

A Columbia man was issued a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for his role in a West Broadway shooting.

Indiana man sentenced for Jefferson City armed robbery of a pharmacy in July 2018

November 22, 2021 7:34 PM ABC 17 News Team

An Indianapolis man was sentenced in federal court in connection with the armed robbery of a Jefferson City Walgreens.

Columbia man to be sentenced for role in West Broadway shooting

November 22, 2021 5:14 AM Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man is set to be sentenced Monday for his role in a shooting along West Broadway in May. Dequan Hughes, 22, was found guilty of second-degree assault and armed criminal action in early October. Dequan Hughes After being found guilty of both charges, the jury recommended a total of three