Homicide Archives

Plea deal reached in fatal Columbia hit-and-run case

December 2, 2020 12:02 PM ABC 17 News Team

Stephen Wyse, the attorney for Lukas S. Evans, said Evans will enter his plea and be sentenced Tuesday.

Third suspect in Chance Davis murder arrested

November 23, 2020 9:26 AM Matt Ragsdale

The third suspect accused of the June 27 killing of a Mexico man was arrested over the weekend.

Police: 2 weekend deaths in southern Missouri were homicides

November 16, 2020 3:14 PM Associated Press

WILLARD, Mo. (AP) — Police say the deaths of two people in a small southwest Missouri town are being investigated as homicides. Thirty-year-old Brianna Sproul and 28-year-old Alex Chute were found shot to death Saturday on the front porch of a home in Willard. Police Chief Tom McClain said Monday that the deaths are not

Columbia parks official: Violence at Cosmo rare

November 4, 2020 3:21 PM Victoria Bragg

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Crime is not a common occurrence at the Columbia park where a teenager was killed this week, a city parks officials said Wednesday. Columbia Parks and Recreation Director Mike Griggs said Cosmo Park is frequented by families and sports teams and crime is rare there. A review of 911 calls shows no

Police say the deaths of two Sedalia men were homicides

November 4, 2020 3:06 PM Associated Press

SEDALIA, Mo. (AP) — Sedalia police say the deaths of two men are being investigated as homicides. The victims, 66-year-old Steven Klein and 59-year-old Russell Bain were found dead on Thursday at a Sedalia home. Police have not said how they died or released many other details in the case. Police Chief Matt Wirt said

Police: 15-year-old involved in Monday night homicide

November 3, 2020 2:48 PM Matt Ragsdale

Columbia police say a 15-year-old was detained in Cosmo Park after suspected involvement in a Monday night homicide.

Columbia Police investigating fatal Cosmo Park shooting

November 2, 2020 6:37 PM ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Police continue to investigate after one person is dead from an evening shooting at Cosmopolitan Recreation Area Park. According to Columbia Police, officers responded to the shooting at 6 p.m. and found victim in the park. Columbia Police aided the victim until medics could arrive but the victim died at the

Boone County probable cause statement gives insight into fatal hit and run investigation

October 23, 2020 10:57 PM Karl Wehmhoener

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boone County probable cause statement reveals why prosecutors charged a 63-year-old Columbia man with manslaughter and other charges after a woman was hit and killed by a vehicle Sunday night. Court documents reveal after the hit and run, Columbia Police began looking for a 2019-2020 white Volkswagen Jetta. Three days later

Jefferson City man convicted of 2017 murder

October 23, 2020 8:30 AM Matt Ragsdale

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A jury convicted a Jefferson City man of second-degree murder linked to a 2017 killing on Thursday. The Cole County Prosecutor said a sentencing date has not yet been decided. Jeffery Millens was found guilty of murder, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm, Locke Thompson said. Millens is

Alleged leader, others plead guilty in marijuana operation tied to Columbia death

October 22, 2020 8:46 PM Lucas Geisler

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A bevy of new defendants have pleaded guilty for taking part in a years-long marijuana-selling operation with ties to a Columbia killing. Five more people admitted on Tuesday to helping sell thousands of pounds of marijuana across the country, including mid-Missouri. That includes Craig D. Smith, Jr., the Oregon man federal

Columbia man charged with manslaughter after fatal Paris Road crash

October 22, 2020 4:52 PM Matthew Sanders

Prosecutors charged a 63-year-old Columbia man with evidence tampering and manslaughter after a woman was hit and killed by a vehicle Sunday night.

Boone County Jail inmate on trial for 2nd-degree murder charged with assaulting another inmate

October 20, 2020 8:21 PM Karl Wehmhoener

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boone County Jail inmate is charged with 3rd degree assault after striking another inmate in the face allegedly. According to Boone County probable cause statment, Javion Lawhorn walked up to another inmate at the Boone County Jail and punch the victim in the head while the victim was sitting at a

Prosecutor: Man admits to disposing of bodies of brothers

October 20, 2020 3:32 PM Associated Press

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (AP) — A prosecutor told a judge that a Missouri man accused of killing two brothers from Wisconsin admitted to authorities that he disposed of the bodies but denied killing the men. The St. Joseph News-Press reports that special prosecutor Stephen Sokoloff made the argument Tuesday during a hearing in which a judge

Police say Columbia man sold drugs that led to deadly overdose

October 20, 2020 8:53 AM Matthew Sanders

Mark Conn, 28, is charged with second-degree murder and selling drugs in connection with the Sept. 4 death on Spencer Avenue in Columbia.

Kansas City tops record for killings with 2 1/2 months left

October 16, 2020 3:06 PM Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s largest city has reached an unwanted milestone — a new record for homicides in a year. Two people died in separate shootings Thursday in Kansas City, the 155th and 156th killings in 2020. The Kansas City Star reports that breaks the record set in 2017. The first shooting happened

Man accused of 2015 Moniteau County murder sentenced to 25 years in prison

October 16, 2020 2:44 PM Matt Ragsdale

The man accused of a 2015 murder in Moniteau County was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Friday.

Last stretch of search for missing Columbia mother will be on land

October 13, 2020 7:49 PM Sydney Olsen

Columbia police have been searching for Mengqi Ji in the Lamine River outside of Boonville for more than one year.

Fayette man sentenced to 35 years for 2019 homicide

October 13, 2020 4:21 PM Karl Wehmhoener

FAYETTE, Mo. (KMIZ) A Fayette man is sentenced 35 years for the homicide of John Turner, 29, of Poplar Bluff on Dec. 30, 2019. Alfredo Hicks Jr. pleaded guilty to counts of second-degree murder, armed criminal action and two other felony crimes after Howard County prosecutors originally charged him with first-degree murder back in August.

Joseph Elledge pleads not guilty to three felony charges.

Court to consider reduced bond for Columbia man accused of wife’s murder

October 9, 2020 3:26 PM Zola Crowder

Joseph Elledge is in the Boone County Jail without bond on a first-degree murder charge in the disappearance of Mengqi Ji.

A stalled search: One year later, Columbia mother Mengqi Ji remains missing

October 8, 2020 2:35 PM Sydney Olsen

One year after Mengqi Ji, a Columbia mother, went missing police continue the search for her. Police announced on Tuesday Wednesday they would begin searching the Lamine River for Ji once again while removing part of the levee they built because the water level was so low.