Mistrial declared in double shooting during last year’s Super Bowl

A mistrial was declared on Friday for a Columbia woman accused of a double shooting during last year’s Super Bowl.

The defense claimed they did not receive a police recording with one of the witnesses until 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Boone County assistant prosecutor, Tracy Gonzalez, told ABC 17 News she requested all of the evidence regarding this case from the Columbia Police Department.

She said they never gave her this recording, therefore, she did not know it even existed.

The first the defense and prosecution say they heard about this recording was when a detective referenced it while on the stand Thursday.

However, because there was missing evidence in this case the judge declared a mistrial just after 10:30 a.m. on Friday.

The jury was dismissed at that time.

Eugenia Dyer took the stand Thursday in her own defense. She is charged with domestic assault, first degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action. Prosecutors argued Dyer was angry after seeing the two victims play with another woman’s hair.

The defense argued Dyer was acting in self-defense. Dyer’s half-brother and his cousin were both shot during a Superbowl party near Columbia in 2014.

Thursday was a very emotional day in the court room for Dyer and the two she allegedly shot. When Dyer took the stand, she shed several tears as she explained what happened that night.

Dyer said her half-brother put her in a head lock and was “choking her to death.” She said it was the second time he did it to her that night. She said in a quick motion she had to shoot him to save her life because she couldn’t breathe and there was no other option.

Dyer testified the second victim came into the house and charged at her, so she shot at him to protect herself and her children. One of the victims was outraged and left the courtroom Thursday afternoon.

The state argued Dyer was angry after seeing the two victims play with another woman’s hair.

The double shooting happened near Rice Road Feb. 2, 2014, which was Super Bowl Sunday. The Columbia Police Department’s probable cause statement quotes a witness, who told detectives that she was in the home when “an argument broke out” between Dyer and the two victims. One witness took the stand Wednesday saying she saw Dyer shoot one of the men while his hands were in the air.

The victims were transported to University Hospital. One of the victims is paralyzed from the waist down.