Man charged with murder, domestic assault in Range Line Street homicide

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Police Department arrested a man in connection with a homicide that occurred Wednesday afternoon.

Nicholas Ayres, 35, of Crane, was charged on Thursday with first-degree domestic assault and second-degree murder, Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson confirmed to ABC 17 News.

According to a press release from the department posted around 1:15 a.m. Thursday, officers responded to the 1300 block of Range Line Street for a cardiac arrest call just before 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

When officers arrived, they believed the death to be suspicious and later determined it was a homicide.

The victim was identified as Destiny Dunn, 37, of Kansas City.

Ayres is currently being held in the Boone County Jail on no bond.

The probable cause statement in the case says Ayres called dispatchers at 3:22 p.m. Wednesday to say the victim looked “blue.” Ayres allegedly stated the victim looked like he “beat her up and I promise to God I didn’t do it,” the statement says.

The victim was found dead by first responders at the By The Way Motel on Range Line Street with “several bruises all over her body.” Neighbors reportedly heard a fight earlier in the day, the statement says.

Ayres allegedly admitted to fighting the victim on Tuesday and Wednesday but claimed it was “accidental and that he does not beat women,” the statement says.

Police found a video on Ayres’ cellphone that showed him assaulting the victim in addition to more videos and pictures of the victim leading up to her death, court documents say.

One of the videos was timestamped about three hours before he called first responders to respond. In that video Ayres is allegedly heard stating “hey honey, I`m really calling 911, I have to because I`m not going down for manslaughter,” the statement says.

He allegedly did call dispatchers at that time, but alleged it was a misdial, court documents say.

An initial court appearance is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday.