Former Camden County investigator accused of using position to intimidate witness

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former Camden County prosecutor's office investigator used his position to intimidate another person in a dispute over damage to a van, court documents say.

Michael D. Hutzler Jr. has an initial court appearance scheduled Monday in Camdenton on a charge of tampering with a witness in a felony case. Prosecutors charged Hutzler on Nov. 6.

It wasn't clear from court records whether he has been booked in jail. But records show his lawyer has made appearances on Hutzler's behalf.

Hutzler is no longer an investigator with the prosecutor's office and did not work under the current prosecutor, Richelle Grosvenor, a manager with the office told ABC 17 News.

An employee of Hutzler's business, Central Missouri Security LLC, damaged the victim's minivan while on a job in September 2022, according to a probable cause statement. Estimates put the cost of the damage between about $5,000 and $6,200, the statement says.

Hutzler "used his position as a law enforcement officer with the Camden County Prosecutor's Office in an attempt to intimidate [the victim] and repeatedly instructed [the victim] to no longer contact a sheriff's office," Camden County Sheriff's Det. Jeremiah Burnett wrote in the probable cause statement.

The victim told a detective that Hutzler had offered $3,000 to keep insurance out of the situation, according to the statement. However, investigators have not found that Hutzler's business vehicle was insured, the statement says.

Hutzler allegedly pressured the victim in emails and insisted that the sheriff's office not be involved, the statement says.

It's not clear from court records whether Hutzler has been arrested.

Hutzler's lawyer was not available Wednesday morning for comment.