Several agencies investigating homicide in Callaway County

CALLAWAY COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Callaway County Sheriff's Office says it is investigating a homicide after a body was found along a county road.

The Sheriff's Office sent out a release saying deputies were called to the area near County Road 351 and County Road 350, which is by State Road WW near the Boone County Line, west of Millersburg.

Callaway County Sheriff Clay Chism said the case was immediately considered a homicide based on the victim's injuries, which he could not go into detail about Thursday night.

"It was very apparent foul play was involved, and a homicide investigation was immeadily in place," Chism told ABC17 News.

The victim is believed to be from the Columbia area. No information about the victim is being released as next-of-kin have not been notified.

Chism said the investigation will mainly take place in Columbia, involving several agencies including the Columbia Police Department, Boone County Sheriff, and Fulton Police.

"I would suspect that this is an incident that started in the Columbia area and it came east and we were the final destination," Chism said. "As some other investigations over the past several years of this nature, we expect even though it's a Callaway County investigation, we expect 98 percent of it to be done in Boone county."

While Chism said there is always a public safety concern with a homicide investigation, he doesn't think there is a threat to the public right now.

"I feel very confident that this is an isolated incident in Callaway County and I don't believe there is any immediate threat in the Millersburg area," Chism said.

Chism expects to release more information about the investigation on Friday.

The Sheriff's Office asks anyone with information about this is asked to call the Callaway County Crimestopper's at 573-592-2474, or leave a tip online at callawaysheriff.org/crime-stoppers.