Casa Maria’s moves out of Columbia location after judge’s order shows more than $120k in rent owed
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
An embattled restaurant whose owner has been accused of arson has officially moved out of its south Columbia location.
Workers were seen emptying Casa Maria’s at 1305 Grindstone Parkway on Monday. The restaurant had announced on its Facebook page that Sunday would be its last day, but indicated it could reopen at another location and as a food truck.
“While we are stepping away for now, it doesn't mean that's the end. Come see us at our food truck,” the Saturday social media post says.
Court documents in previous reporting say Grindstone Plaza Development issued Crystal Umfress and Marion Spence a notice of default on June 18 and a notice to terminate the lease on July 24 after rent had gone unpaid for months. Documents show the landlord declared the lease terminated the next day.
A Boone County judge ruled in favor of Grindstone Plaza Development earlier this month in its motion for default against Umfress. A writ of possession order filed on Dec. 17 says the restaurant was ordered to vacate the property after owing $120,750.04 in unpaid rent and $8,926.61 in fees and costs.
Umfress is charged with felonies in two cases. The first of which she is charged with second-degree arson after she was accused of hiring Kerry Raymond to burn down Lupita's Mexican Restaurant in 2023 in Dunklin County.
In another case, she is charged with two counts of filing false documents and three counts of forgery after she was accused of impersonating county officials and restaurant owners.
A jury trial is scheduled in both cases for 8 a.m. Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Butler County, with a pretrial conference set for 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13.
