Murder charge filed in Columbia apartment shooting; cops find PCP, cocaine
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Police say PCP was present in the apartment where a man was fatally shot Saturday night in a senior apartment complex in central Columbia.
Officers also found cocaine in the shooting suspect's apartment, according to court documents.
Michael D. Graham, 66, was charged with second-degree murder, illegal gun possession, armed criminal action, evidence tampering and two counts of drug possession. He remained in the Boone County Jail on Monday on no bond.
Police found a man who had been shot in the chest on Saturday in a bedroom of apartment 212 at Oak Towers. The victim, Vasshon Haywood, 48, died at a hospital. Officers found and detained Graham in the Oak Towers lobby.
A witness identified Graham as the shooter, according to a probable cause statement. The witness told police that an argument had preceded the shooting.
Police found the PCP in vials in the apartment where Haywood had been shot after the man who lives there gave them to officers, the statement says. They also found shell casings and a revolver. Police later confirmed the revolver was stolen.
The probable cause statement says Graham took evidence from the crime scene to his apartment, where the cocaine was found.
Several residents told ABC 17 News that shootings were uncommon for the building.
"This is our first time really hearing about what's going on because we didn't know what happened," Eight-year-Oak Towers resident Patti Robinson said. "We just woke up out of our beds and surrounded by police."
Randy Cole, the CEO of Columbia Housing Authority, who oversees the apartment, told ABC 17 News the event was suspected to be isolated to the apartment where the shooting took place, and the surrounding residents were not directly at risk.
"CHA properties are overwhelmingly safe, approximately 93% of resident households annually do not experience an enforcement action," Cole said in a statement.
CHA data also found that of 450 safety calls for all residences in 2025, Oak Towers made up around 21% of calls.
Cole adds that resident applicants are screened. According to the CHA website, having violence or drug-related criminal activity in the past five years, outstanding debts and negative housing reports are things that could get an application denied.
According to the PC statement, Graham had prior convictions for drug violations in 1987 and 2017 and assault in 2009. Graham was also previously charged with a misdemeanor for DWI and resisting arrest in 2023.
Due to previous charges, it was illegal for Graham to have a gun at the time of the shooting.
"There is no indication that prior safety concerns or reports contributed to this incident," Cole said.
Residents add that most safety concerns have come from non-residents loitering outside of the building or coming inside during the evenings.
"7:00 p.m., I'm in my apartment, I'm not coming out," Robinson said. "You've got to lock your doors and everything because people are walking around, twisting your doorknobs and stuff, now, that's not good."
Residents also voiced concerns about the recent affordable housing on East Sexton Road, with residents reporting drivers speeding in the area and pedestrians blocking the roads.
"You got all these people in wheelchairs and walkers, we need to be more safe than that, they should provide more safety for us," Robinson said.
Cole also tells ABC 17 News there are no plans to change operations or security at the apartment at this time. He adds that staff are aware of the concerns of non-residents and that CHA's Safety Department was expanded by one person in 2024.
"CHA staff and safety personnel are on-site and interact with residents regularly and will continue to listen to resident concerns," Cole said.
