Man accused in death penalty case refuses to show up in court

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man accused of stabbing the mother of his child to death refused to appear in court Wednesday.

Sergio L. Sayles, 36, was charged in April with first-degree murder, armed-criminal action, evidence tampering and first-degree stalking. He remains in the Cole County Jail without bond.

A motion for continuance was filed for Sayles by his attorney. His next court appearance is set for 1 p.m. Friday, June 9 at the Cole County Circuit Court.

Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Locke Thompson said on April 12 that the state will seek the death penalty for Sayles.

According to the probable cause statement, police found the woman, Jasmine King, dead from stab wounds to her head, face, neck, torso and back in her home on April 10 in the 300 block of West Ashley Street after King's family called police for a wellness check. Sayles gave inconsistent stories about where he was Monday afternoon and he denied killing King, according to the statement.

Sayles and King have a toddler child together.

Witness statements and surveillance video connected Sayles to the crime scene, the statement says. Police also recovered the murder weapon and some of Sayles' belongings in a trash bag at McClung Park, where surveillance cameras captured Sayles sitting in his vehicle around the time of King's death, according to the statement.

Sayles was previously charged with first-degree harassment in 2021 and first-degree stalking in 2022.