Crime Archives

Columbia police attempt to increase patrols to deter vehicle break-ins

September 14, 2023 3:33 PM Morgan Buresh

As car break-in numbers climb in Columbia, another Missouri city has tried a novel solution to fix the problem.

Columbia man charged after allegedly setting mattress on fire

September 14, 2023 5:05 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man was charged Thursday with first-degree arson after he allegedly set a mattress on fire in a hallway at the Rise Apartments on Aug. 27. Nicholas Gerken, 34, is being held at the Boone County Jail on a $50,000 bond. According to court documents, Gerken allegedly took a discarded mattress

Attorney asks for Columbia child death charges to be thrown out

September 14, 2023 4:31 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The attorney for the man accused of killing a baby and leaving its body behind a store wants his most-serious charges dismissed. Staffone Fountain, 31, was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and abandoning a corpse. He is being held in the Boone County Jail without bond.

Jefferson City man charged after allegedly pulling out gun at gas station

September 14, 2023 3:24 PM Ryan Shiner

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Jefferson City man was arrested and charged after allegedly pulling a gun out of his pants and pointing it at several people at a gas station on Monday. David Lamar Ross Jr., 30, was charged with unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. He is being held without

Application portal for Columbia police chief search to close; new chief expected to be picked by November

September 13, 2023 3:56 PM Marina Diaz

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Columbia’s search for a new police chief continues as the application process comes to an end. The city hired Public Sector Search and Consulting to search for a new chief after Geoff Jones retired from the position on Aug. 1. Matt Stephens was named the interim chief. The city

Chariton County sheriff under criminal investigation

September 13, 2023 4:56 PM Mitchell Kaminski

KEYETSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) Chariton County Sheriff Erick Billups is under a criminal investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug Crime Control. An MSHP spokesman said Monday that the Chariton County prosecuting attorney made the request for the investigation on Saturday. The prosecuting attorney declined to comment. MSHP did not say what, specifically,

Man accused in Moberly standoff pleads guilty, sentenced to probation

September 13, 2023 4:18 PM Ryan Shiner

HUNTSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) A man accused of firing a gun and having a standoff with law enforcement in April has been sentenced. Zeno T. Finley, 34, was pleaded guilty on Wednesday to possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a weapon. He was sentenced to five years of supervised probation with a suspended sentence

Downtown CID hopes CPD fills vacant ‘community police officer’ position

September 12, 2023 7:53 PM Marina Diaz

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Downtown Community Improvement District asked the Columbia Police Department on Tuesday when it will fill a community police officer role for Downtown Columbia. “Our last one retired, we really want to make sure we get that role filled,” CID Executive Director Nickie Davis said. “It is huge for our businesses to

Fulton man charged after allegedly giving fake story about injured baby to police

September 12, 2023 4:46 PM Ryan Shiner

FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ) A Fulton man was arrested and charged on Tuesday after allegedly lying about a baby being severely injured. Ryan Avery Knapp, 23, was charged with felony first-degree property damage and making a false report to police, a misdemeanor. He was booked into the Callaway County Jail at 4:41 a.m. Tuesday and is

Police overtime costs climbing as departments search for workers

September 11, 2023 3:34 PM Lucas Geisler

Taxpayers are footing a 57% increase in overtime costs for fiscal 2023.

Burglaries are down, car break-ins are up, CPD and Neighborhood Watch say at meeting

September 11, 2023 4:56 PM Mitchell Kaminski

The Columbia Police Department and Columbia Neighborhood Watch are inviting the public to their annual meeting Monday night at City Hall.

Audrain County man charged after allegedly exposing himself to teenager

September 11, 2023 6:25 PM Ryan Shiner

MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ) A Mexico, Missouri, man was arrested on Friday after allegedly exposing himself to a 17-year-old girl over Labor Day weekend. Zackery Allen Oliver, 30, was charged with failure to register as a sex offender and first-degree sexual misconduct. He is being held at the Audrain County Jail without bond. An initial court

Man arrested, charged after allegedly stealing car at gas pump

September 11, 2023 4:03 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man has been charged after allegedly stealing a car from a QuikTrip gas pump on Saturday. Tyler Loyd, 24, was charged on Monday with stealing a motor vehicle. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An initial court appearance was set for Monday. According to jail

Man accused in June ARC fight indicted by grand jury

September 11, 2023 2:51 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man charged in relation to a fight at Columbia’s Activity and Recreation Center in June was indicted by a grand jury on Friday. Kameron Mearidy, 19, was charged with first-degree assault — knowingly causing serious physical injury. He is being held at the Boone County Jail. His bond was set at $20,000 for

Woman charged, allegedly used credit cards stolen from car at preschool

September 8, 2023 3:55 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman was arrested and charged after allegedly stealing a backpack filled with credit cards and personal items from a vehicle at Green Meadows Preschool on Thursday. Julia Anne Elizabeth Nelson, 34, was charged with stealing and fraudulent use of a credit/debit device. Her address on Casenet is listed as Prescott, Wisconsin,

Douglass Park shooter gets nearly two decades in prison

September 8, 2023 2:36 PM Matthew Sanders

A man who pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter and other charges in a deadly 2020 Douglass Park shooting was sentenced to almost two decades behind bars Friday.

Rising number of car break-ins prompts Columbia police to increase patrols

September 7, 2023 5:09 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department is increasing patrols in an attempt to stop an uptick in break-ins within the past year. “In the areas we are aware of these (thefts are) being reported, we are increasing, where possible, foot traffic and vehicle patrols just to go through and add that increased presence,” CPD

Moberly man accused of exposing himself to several children

September 7, 2023 4:35 PM Ryan Shiner

MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Moberly man has been arrested and charged after he allegedly exposed himself to at least five children. Robert Conner, 61, was charged with sexual misconduct involving a child younger than 15 years old. He was booked into the Randolph County Jail on Saturday and remains there. He has a bond hearing

Woman accused of shooting teenager in parking lot arrested, charged

September 7, 2023 3:01 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia woman was charged on Thursday with several felonies after police say she was seen firing a gun and hit a teenager in a parking lot on Aug. 28. Shyraah Robin Brown, 35, was arrested on Wednesday. She was charged with three counts of first-degree assault, first-degree assault of a special

Man accused of murdering Hermann police sergeant requests change of venue

September 6, 2023 6:45 PM Ryan Shiner

HERMANN, Mo. (KMIZ) The man accused of murdering a Hermann police sergeant in March has requested a change of venue. Kenneth Lee Simpson, 35, of Steelville, was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of armed-criminal action, first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful gun possession, unlawful possession of an illegal weapon, possession of a controlled substance