Columbia man accused of killing woman on Christmas sees murder charge upgraded

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was accused of killing a woman on Christmas Day had his murder charge upgraded after a grand jury indictment was filed on Friday.

Jeffrey Edward Skaggs, 39, of Columbia, is now charged with first-degree murder, first-degree domestic assault and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He was previously charged in the case with second-degree murder, first-degree domestic assault and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. 

Skaggs is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 12.

According to court documents in previous reporting, paramedics and deputies arrived to a residence in the 6000 block of East O'Rear Road at 12:30 a.m. Dec. 25 and saw Skaggs with the dead victim.

First responders performed CPR on a 41-year-old woman, but were unable to resuscitate her, previous reporting says.

Skaggs allegedly admitted to assaulting the woman moments before she died, according to court documents. Deputies say a video recording from the victim’s cellphone showed part of the assault, which allegedly showed Skaggs assaulting the woman while she was holding her 1-year-old child.