Trial in Columbia murder case pushed back to June
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The trial of a Columbia man accused of killing his ex-wife and throwing away her remains has been pushed back to June 12.
Keith Comfort's second-degree murder trial had been scheduled to begin Monday at the Boone County Courthouse. However, it was delayed after a last-minute motion filed Saturday over a 2006 police report.
According to online court records, Comfort's lawyer Kevin O'Brien filed a motion Saturday to delay the trial after both sides received information about a June 5, 2006, arrest involving his then-wife and victim in the case Megan Shultz. The docket entry for the Saturday hearing indicated both Comfort and Shultz made statements to an arresting officer.
During the hearing today, O'Brien made the argument that he wanted time to file sunshine requests for various agencies to try and find out more about what happened.
O'Brien said there was an person at the time of Shultz's arrest that could potentially be a witness.
O'Brien said he didn't believe the possibility of having more witnesses involved in the trial as well as using this new information would further prolong the actual trial.
He estimated the trial would last up to five days. Susan Boresi, a prosecutor for the state, believed it would take roughly four.
Former prosecutor Bill Tackett explained why finding the arrest report could be vital to the claim of self-defense.
"When you're dealing with murder in the second degree, of course there's no premeditation, and you drop down to these other defenses, there could be an acquittal."
Tackett said the information that could potentially be found in an arrest report could change how the case is handled.
"The report actually wasn't generated, it was just a reference to it in an early bond investigation," Tackett said. "But the report itself has the statement of both the victim and the defendant with witnesses."
Shultz wasn't charged with the crime following the arrest, which means the report isn't open information.
Tackett said the judge as well as attorney's would be able to see it if the report is found.
Judge Jeff Harris decided Monday morning to push the trial back to June.
The docket entry from Judge Harris said both the prosecutor and defense "did not become aware of the report until [Friday]," and that O'Brien felt the report might necessitate more investigation. It does not say what the arrest was for.
In 2019, Comfort allegedly admitted to police he killed Shultz in 2006.
Documents state Comfort told police in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin that Shultz called him saying she was involved in a drug deal and she ripped someone off. Comfort then told police when he arrived at the apartment on the 1700 block of Amelia Street in Columbia, Shultz was frantic and swinging her arms.
Comfort allegedly told police he strangled Shultz and put her body in a garbage bag and put it in the dumpster at the apartment complex. Columbia police and landfill staff said they found Shultz's remains following a search that fall.
