Woman settles years-long lawsuit with special Columbia taxing district
Each side agreed Tuesday to drop the lawsuit that Jennifer Henderson brought against the Business Loop 70 Community Improvement District in 2016.
Continue ReadingCourt and Trials
No charges filed against drivers, protesters involved in 2020 incidents in downtown Columbia
Assistant prosecutor David Hansen laid out his reasoning in an 11-page letter to Columbia police Chief Geoff Jones on Tuesday.
Continue Reading
Trial date set for man accused of 2017 Columbia homicide
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A trial date is set for a Columbia man accused in a 2017 killing. The trial against 28-year-old Jeffrey McWilliams has been set for August 13th through September 3rd. McWilliams is charged with second-degree murder, robbery and armed criminal action in the death of Augustus Roberts. Roberts died at a home off
Continue Reading
Judge won’t allow Renick lawyer to depose Boone County prosecutors
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boone County judge won’t let the attorney for Lynlee Renick to question a Boone County prosecutor handling the case of a key witness. Judge Kevin Crane denied the request to interview a Boone County assistant prosecutor about any potential deals made between it and Brandon Blackwell. Crane said Renick’s attorney, Tim
Continue Reading
Former clerk for small Missouri town admits to fraud crimes
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The former city clerk for a small town in northeast Missouri has pleaded guilty to federal charges for defrauding the town out of $317,000. Federal prosecutors in St. Louis announced Friday that 48-year-old Tracey Ray admitted to wire fraud and federal program theft. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 17. Ray was
Continue Reading New judge to take over 2017 homicide case
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A new judge will take over a case against a Columbia man accused in a 2017 killing. 28-year-old Jeffrey McWilliams is charged with second-degree murder, robbery and armed criminal action in the death of Augustus Roberts. Roberts died at a home off Lasso Circle in December 2017. Judge Josh Devine will now
Continue Reading
Cole County grand jury indicts man on gun charges
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Cole County grand jury has indicted a man on new gun charges in an early May shooting. Semaj Harris is accused of murder in a Jefferson City. Semaj Harris was charged with aiding a shooting from a vehicle and illegal gun possession in a May 5 shots-fired incident at Community
Continue Reading
Missouri Supreme Court: $3 fee for sheriffs unconstitutional
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court has ruled that a $3 court fee to pay for sheriffs’ retirement is unconstitutional. Judges on Tuesday ruled that the sheriffs’ retirement fund is not related to the administration of justice, meaning those fees are not allowed. The case at hand deals with two drivers who
Continue Reading Missouri Supreme Court rejects appeal from death row inmate
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of man sentenced to death for killing a central Missouri couple in 2010. The court on Tuesday unanimously rejected Jesse Driskill’s argument that prosecutors withheld important information and that he received ineffective counsel during his trial for killing 82-year-old Johnnie Wilson and
Continue Reading
Columbia police officer pleads guilty to reduced charge in child’s death
A Columbia police officer pleaded guilty in connection with a child’s death.
Continue Reading Missouri court strikes down public labor union restrictions
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court has struck down a 2018 state law that imposed new requirements on some public sector labor unions. In a 5-2 ruling Tuesday, the Supreme Court said the law violated the constitution’s equal protection rights by exempting public safety unions from the new requirements imposed on other
Continue Reading
Boone County grand jury indicts Hartsburg man for alleged rape
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boone County grand jury has also indicted a Hartsburg man after he was accused of rape in August 2020. Tomas Vino-Osorio is charged in Boone County with second-degree rape and sodomy. According to the victim, Vino-Osorio took the victim to a bedroom and started to have sex with the victim. The
Continue Reading
Boone County grand jury indicts man for alleged Jan. and March sexual assaults
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boone County grand jury has indicted a man for two counts of first-degree rape for two separate incidents. According to the indictment, Jay Strausbaugh is accused of raping two women. One woman was allegedly raped on Jan. 30 or 31, 2021 and the other woman was allegedly raped on March 4.
Continue Reading
FRIDAY UPDATES: State offers free at-home COVID-19 tests to Missouri residents
Missouri residents can now get an at-home coronavirus test that checks for presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Residents can receive the test two days after ordering it online. The test kit is good for six months and comes with easy-to-follow instructions. Once the person uses the kit, the kit needs to be
Continue Reading Police board sues Kansas City, mayor over budget plans
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners is suing the City Council and mayor over plans to change how a portion of the police department’s budget will be spent. The board voted 4-1 Friday to file the lawsuit, with Mayor Quinton Lucas the only dissenting vote. The lawsuit was filed
Continue Reading Man files federal lawsuit against former Centralia officer, city of Centralia and others
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Centralia man has filed a federal lawsuit against a former Centralia police officer, the Centralia Police Department, the City of Centralia and two others after the man was allegedly pulled over, assaulted and arrested without probable cause. The lawsuit was filed on May 12, 2021 in the U.S. District Court
Continue Reading
Settlement reached with Camdenton school district over custodian’s behavior
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Two minors that sued the Camdenton R-III school district reached a settlement with the district this week. Federal court documents show a sealed settlement agreement between the minors, who are referred to as “Jane Doe” and “John Doe,” and the district on Monday. A court hearing was held Tuesday in Jefferson
Continue Reading
Jury finds Morgan County man not guilty of murder
MONITEAU COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) A jury found a Morgan County man not guilty of murder. A Moniteau County jury returned the verdict Thursday afternoon. Thomas Capps was accused of killing Ronald Salmons in Versailles back in 2015. The case was moved to Moniteau County on a change of venue request. Prosecutors argued Capps staged a
Continue Reading
New evidence reported in the death of Mengqi Ji
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Prosecutors say they have new evidence in the death of Mengqi Ji who they believe was killed by her husband Joseph Elledge. New court documents describe audio recordings of conversations between Ji and Elledge. The new documents detail 12 secret audio conversations, two recorded by Ji and 10 recorded by Elledge. Boone
Continue Reading Jury selection and opening statements heard Tuesday for murder trial in Moniteau County
Thomas Capps was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in 2019 for the March 17, 2015, death of Ronald Salmons.
Continue Reading