Columbia man accused of dumping woman’s body to appear in court Wednesday

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The man accused of dumping a woman's body in a trash bin in the Perche Creek over the weekend is set to make his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon.

Andrew B. Acton, 53, of Columbia, was arrested Monday evening after law enforcement found his Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck matched a similar vehicle seen entering the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area on May 11. A security camera in the area observed that the truck was carrying a City of Columbia trash bin, similar to the one in which the body was found inside.

The trash can was initially recovered on Sunday by a fisherman at the Providence boat access who reported seeing a human leg wrapped in a blanket inside.

Court documents also report that Acton is an admitted drug user. He is currently in the Boone County jail without bond.

According to documents from the Missouri Secretary of State's office, Acton was a former owner of the now-closed 63 Diner in Columbia.

Acton's initial hearing will begin at 1 p.m. in the Boone County Courthouse.

Authorities have not publicly identified the woman or given her age.

This is an ongoing story.