Court and Trials Archives

Man accused of murder pleads guilty to lesser charge

December 18, 2019 12:58 PM Madison Fleck

A St. Louis man accused of a Jefferson City killing pleaded guilty to a lesser charge on Monday.

Teen murder suspect pleads guilty to reduced charge

December 12, 2019 1:02 PM Joe McLean

A 16-year-old Jefferson City boy pleaded guilty Thursday to a reduced charge in the shooting death of another teen.

Jury convicts Jefferson City man of lying in gun purchase attempts

December 12, 2019 11:11 AM Matthew Sanders

A federal jury convicted a Jefferson City man Monday of providing false information while unsuccessfully trying to purchase guns on two occasions.

Columbia man sentenced to 15 years for deadly motorcycle crash

December 11, 2019 9:35 AM Madison Fleck

A Columbia man was sentenced to 15 years in the Missouri Department of Correction on Monday for a deadly 2018 crash involving a motorcycle.

Search for Mengqi Ji Elledge continues into seventh day

December 10, 2019 10:24 AM Zach Boetto

Authorities were back at the De Bourgmont access on the Lamine River on Tuesday to search for a missing Columbia mother.

State Supreme Court upholds death sentence for man convicted of Jefferson City murder

December 10, 2019 7:35 PM Matt Ragsdale

Missouri Supreme Court justices unanimously ruled to uphold a man’s death sentence conviction for killing two people in 2009.

Sedalia man charged after weekend Tipton shooting

December 10, 2019 7:53 AM Madison Fleck

TIPTON, Mo. (KMIZ) A Sedalia man was charged over the weekend after he allegedly shot one person and hit another, sending both to the hospital. Bobby J, Moore, 43, was charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon. Moore was

Jefferson City couple accused of keeping child in closet

December 9, 2019 9:40 PM Matt Ragsdale

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Cole County prosecutors charged a couple with a felony count each linked to a Cole County Sheriff’s Department investigation into child abuse. Joseph Ciavarella, 52, and Loretta Wilhelm, 34, of Jefferson City were charged Saturday after court documents say deputies started their investigation on Jan. 1, 2018. Ciavarella faces a charge

Prosecutors charge man in connection with Fulton shooting, chase

December 9, 2019 8:12 PM Katie Greathouse

FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ) Prosecutors charged a man Monday in connection with a shooting at a gas station in Fulton on Friday night. Callaway County deputies arrested Markus Berry, 27, of Auxvasse after a chase Saturday night in connection with the shooting. According to a probable cause statement, shots were fired after a fist fight in

Jefferson City man accused of having stolen gun

December 6, 2019 7:18 PM Matt Ragsdale

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A man faces several charges in Cole County after an altercation was reported near downtown Jefferson City. Terry Simms, 39, of Jefferson City was accused of displaying a gun during a verbal argument at the 700 block of Madison Street on Wednesday. Jefferson City officers with the department’s Community Action Team

Battle for custody of missing woman’s child continues in Boone County

December 6, 2019 2:43 PM Joe McLean

A custody hearing began Friday to determine who will have temporary guardianship over the child of Joseph and Mengqi Ji Elledge. It comes nearly two months after Mengqi Ji was reported missing by her husband, Joseph Elledge, prompting a weeks-long search. Jean Elledge, Joseph Elledge’s mother, filed for guardianship of the couple’s child in late

Former Columbia police chief pleads guilty to excessive blood alcohol

December 6, 2019 11:20 AM Matthew Sanders

Columbia’s former police chief pleaded guilty Friday to driving with excessive blood-alcohol content, his attorney said.

Burton attorney says off-duty officer tipped off CPD prior to DWI arrest

December 5, 2019 9:10 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An off-duty Columbia police officer told his co-workers he saw former police chief Ken Burton drinking prior to officers pulling Burton over and ticketing him. Defense attorney Andrew Popplewell disclosed some of the details of Burton’s arrest in a motion to suppress evidence in the case. Burton faces one count of driving

Camden County man charged with multiple counts of child pornography

December 5, 2019 10:36 PM Alec Pettus

Prosecutors charged a man in Camden County with child pornography after an anonymous letter was sent to the Camden County Children’s Division, according to court documents. The letter contained a micro SD card that showed images of child pornography. The images were then traced to Jason Medeiros of Camdenton, court documents say. Investigators executed a

Change of judge granted in Elledge child abuse case

December 5, 2019 6:17 PM Matthew Sanders

Lawyers for a Columbia man accused of child abuse and suspected in his wife’s disappearance have asked for a change of judge.

Jefferson City murder suspect moved from Cole County Jail to prison

December 5, 2019 7:36 PM Katie Greathouse

A man accused of killing two people in Jefferson City on Thanksgiving is in prison, according to Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler. Wheeler said Torry Upchurch, 27, is no longer in Cole County’s custody. He is now back in the custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections because of a parole warrant, Wheeler said. According

Dive teams enter third day of search for missing Columbia woman

December 4, 2019 10:24 AM Zach Boetto

Divers continued their search of the Lamine River for a missing Columbia woman on Wednesday.

Cole County man faces several charges after November chase

December 4, 2019 8:06 PM Matt Ragsdale

COLE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) Cole County prosecutors charged a man with drug possession after county deputies said he led authorities on a chase in November. Ben Bates, 27, of Lohman was arrested and charged Monday. Court documents say Bates drove on the wrong side of the road after pulling out of a dollar store parking

Boone County prosecutor: No body needed to file murder charges

December 4, 2019 12:33 PM Molly Stawinoga

Boone County’s head prosecutor said Wednesday that murder convictions can be won without a body, as divers continued their search for a missing Columbia woman in the Lamine River.

Court documents: Child fought off rape attempt in Callaway County

December 4, 2019 5:12 PM Matt Ragsdale

FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ) Callaway County prosecutors charged a Fulton man with second-degree child molestation after he allegedly tried to rape a child who fought him off. Carl Martin, 38, was arrested Tuesday by Callaway County sheriff’s deputies. He’s accused of trying to have sex with a child younger than 12 years old. Court documents say