Man pleads guilty to murder in November 2021 Columbia shooting, sentenced to 20 years in prison
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A man has pleaded guilty to murder in a November 2021 shooting in the 5900 block of North Kent Drive.
Mark Achterberg, 39, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and illegal gun possession, Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson said in a Friday email. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
He was previously charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, first-degree assault and first-degree tampering with evidence. He was charged with illegal gun possession and stealing a gun in a second case related to the shooting.
According to previous reporting, Achterberg is accused of shooting and killing Justin Stidham. Deputies found Stidham with a gunshot wound, and he allegedly told law enforcement before he died that “Mark” shot him, according to court documents cited in previous reporting.
Neighbors allegedly told deputies that Achterberg threatened to shoot Stidham after he allegedly stole his truck, previous reporting indicates. Investigators later arrested Achterberg in Iowa and he was extradited back to Boone County.
“This case underscores the devastating impact that violent crime has on our community. Our thoughts are with the victim's family and loved ones, who have suffered an immeasurable loss. We must always remember that behind every criminal case is a human story — people who are deeply affected by the choices of others,” Johnson wrote in a statement to ABC 17 News.
Court records list his address as Columbia, but jail records indicate he is from Creston, Iowa.
