Court and Trials Archives

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.

Sunrise Beach city employee pleaded guilty to dumping treated sewage water

September 2, 2021 9:43 PM ABC 17 News Team

SUNRISE BEACH, Mo. (KMIZ) A Sunrise Beach city employee has pleaded guilty to federal crimes related to sewage dumping at the Lake of the Ozarks. Brian Scheiter, 60, pleaded guilty to dumping treated sewage water from Sunrise Beach Wastewater Treatment Facility into a tributary of the lake. This happened from Oct. 2019 through Jan. of

Two Columbia residents plead guilty to meth trafficking in federal court

September 2, 2021 6:35 PM Karl Wehmhoener

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Two Columbia residents pleaded guilty in federal court to meth trafficking. Bryan Tullous, 39, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute meth. Cassiopeia Blaise, 36, pleaded guilty Tuesday to possessing meth with the intent to distribute. In April 2019, officers intercepted a package, with over five pounds of meth in

Auxvasse man pleads guilty to growing marijuana and owning illegal guns

August 31, 2021 5:36 PM Karl Wehmhoener

Darrin Dale Smithee, 55, of Auxvasse, faces up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to one count of manufacturing marijuana and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Jefferson City man sentenced to prison after shooting

August 26, 2021 9:24 PM ABC 17 News Team

A Jefferson City man was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to a March 2020 shooting in the 200 block of McCarty Street.

Rep. Hartzler responds to CPS mask mandate lawsuit

August 25, 2021 7:26 PM Karl Wehmhoener

CENTRALIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler made an appearance in Centralia talking with agricultural group leaders to discuss water regulations. During her appearance, Hartzler spoke about Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s lawsuit against mask mandates in schools districts. Hartzler says she believes the parents of students should have the power to determine if their child

Family files wrongful death lawsuit after fatal February crash

August 24, 2021 7:58 PM Karl Wehmhoener

MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ) The parents of a man that died in a crash in February 2021in Audrain County have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against David Brenneke. Kristopher and Kerrie Grimes filed the lawsuit in Audrain Circuit Court Tuesday. According to the lawsuit, Cole Grimes’s parents allege Cole’s death was due to the negligence of

Former reporter subpoenaed in Joseph Elledge murder trial

August 20, 2021 6:41 PM ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A judge approved an out-of-state subpoena in court earlier Friday for the Joseph Elledge murder trial. An order for Gladys Bautista to appear in court was approved by Judge Jacobs in court. She is a former local reporter who interviewed Elledge before he was arrested. Prosecuting attorney Dan Knight says she is

Joseph Elledge set to appear in court Friday

August 20, 2021 5:19 AM Ben Fein

Joseph Elledge is set to appear in a hearing at the Boone County Courthouse, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Friday.