Woman charged with murder in Columbia drug overdose arrested

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Rocheport woman charged with murder in connection with a 2021 fentanyl overdose was in the Boone County Jail on Wednesday.

Jeanne Marie Hovis, 50, was booked into jail Tuesday evening on charges of second-degree murder and drug distribution. She was charged in May for the Dec. 26, 2021, death of a person whose name is redacted in court documents.

Two others, Jonathan G. Shelley and Nicholas Grathwohl, are also charged with second-degree murder and drug distribution for their alleged involvement in the overdose death.

A probable cause statement says Shelley was with the overdose victim, whom police found lying unresponsive in a bathtub. Another statement says Hovis arranged the purchase of crack cocaine and fentanyl, which was delivered by Grathwohl, the night of the overdose.

A fourth person, Nathaniel A. Cross, also of Columbia is charged with drug distribution only.

Hovis was jailed on a $250,000 bond and an initial court appearance was set for Wednesday afternoon.

Grathwohl posted bond soon after his arrest. Shelley and Cross have not been served with an arrest warrant in the case.

The Columbia Police Department did not respond Wednesday morning to a request for more information about Hovis' arrest.