Grand jury indicts suspect in Columbia trash bin murder case

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Boone County grand jury on Friday indicted a Columbia man accused of killing his romantic partner and disposing of her body in a trash bin that was found in a creek.

Andrew Acton is accused of strangling or smothering the 47-year-old woman sometime between Oct. 1, 2025, and May 10, 2026. The grand jury indictment gave the victim's initials as C.A.C., and describes the cause of death as "neck impression."

Acton was indicted Friday on the same charges that were filed against him earlier in the investigation -- second-degree murder, abandoning a corpse and evidence tampering.

A fisherman initially recovered the trash can at the Providence boat access, who reported seeing a human leg wrapped in a blanket inside. Authorities have not publicly released other details about the case, including motive.

Acton was arrested after investigators matched the truck he was driving to surveillance video that showed the truck hauling the trash bin near Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area.

Acton's last listed address is in the 3000 block of Bray Avenue in southwest Columbia. County records show the home was foreclosed on in March, with the property being purchased by HBH Holdings at the end of the month.

According to documents from the Missouri Secretary of State's office, Acton was a former owner of the now-closed 63 Diner in Columbia.

A hearing in Acton's case is set for Monday. He remains in the Boone County Jail on no bond.