Crime Archives

Woman charged after firefighters find dogs in motel during fire call

November 10, 2021 9:29 PM ABC 17 News Team

Prosecutors charged a woman Tuesday after firefighters found malnourished dogs in a motel room while responding to a fire in September.

Murder suspect’s wife reacts after he’s captured in Iowa

November 10, 2021 12:18 PM Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Boone County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Mark Achterberg was taken into custody Wednesday night in Creston, Iowa. Boone County prosecutors charged Achterberg on Tuesday with first degree murder in the shooting death of Justin W. Stidman. “This is such a sad and preventable situation,” said Kerra Prohaska, Achterberg’s wife. “My heart goes

Hannibal man charged after allegedly damaging a sprinkler causing flooding at Randolph County Jail

November 10, 2021 12:13 PM Karl Wehmhoener

HUNTSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) A Randolph County prosecutor has charged a Hannibal man after he allegedly damaged a water sprinkler causing the flooding at the Randolph County jail. Colton Miller is charged with damage to jail property. According to jail records, Miller was in custody for first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle. Investigators reviewed video footage

Sedalia homeowner who shot burglary describes encounter

November 10, 2021 10:01 AM Karl Wehmhoener

A Sedalia homeowner shot a burglary suspect Wednesday morning.

Authorities arrest man accused of running after vehicle chase in Osage County

November 10, 2021 7:50 AM Zachary Farwell

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Osage County SheriffMike Bonhamr reprots the suspect is under arrest. According to the Jefferson City Police Department, officers searched for the man near Algoa Road and Stertzer Road. The Osage County Sheriff’s Office stated a deputy conducted a business check at Casper’s 66 in Linn, Missouri around 6:30 a.m. The sheriff’s

Joseph Elledge on the stand for nearly eight hours in his murder trial

November 9, 2021 5:31 AM Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Joseph Elledge told jurors his version of what happened to his wife Mengqi Ji in 2019. Elledge has been on the stand for six hours now as his murder trial goes into its second week. Elledge took the stand and talked about what the defense called in opening statements a “tragic accident”

Deputies searching for man charged with first-degree murder after Columbia shooting

November 9, 2021 5:29 PM ABC 17 News Team

A Boone County prosecutor has charged a Columbia man in connection with a deadly shooting.

Man sentenced for his role in Columbia killing

November 9, 2021 10:00 PM Katie Greathouse

A judge sentenced a man Tuesday to four years in prison for his involvement in a deadly shooting in February.

Police searching Eastgate apartment complex after reported shooting

November 9, 2021 2:25 PM Karl Wehmhoener

Mulitple police are at the Eastgate apartment complex searching for evidence after a reported shooting.

Texts, photos between Elledge and Ji shown to start second week of trial

November 8, 2021 5:50 AM Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) This morning the prosecution continued presenting their case against Joseph Elledge, he is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Mengqi Ji who went missing in October of 2019. Both sides of the case spent hours going over the contents of Elledge and Ji’s electronic devices reviewed by State

Man charged after downtown Columbia shooting Saturday night

November 8, 2021 1:28 PM Kennedy Miller

A Boone County prosecutor has charged a Columbia man after a shooting Saturday night near Broadway and Hitt Street.

Boone County prosecutors charge driver suspected of deadly DWI

November 8, 2021 5:40 AM Zola Crowder

Duncan McCracking, 24, of Columbia, was charged with DWI that resulted in death and armed criminal action.

Columbia residents comment on Saturday night’s Downtown shooting

November 7, 2021 9:40 PM Joushua Blount

COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ) A shooting Saturday night in Downtown Columbia left people running to safety and wondering what happened. The shooting happened on East Broadway and near Hitt St. around 11:20 p.m. Bracken Sullivan and his roommate live above the India’s house restaurant downtown where the shooting happened. He said he thought someone was knocking

Missing Jefferson City girl found in Kansas

November 7, 2021 2:50 PM Chanel Porter

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) UPDATE: As of 9:30 p.m. Sunday night the child was found in Kansas and the suspect is in custody. The Jefferson City Police Department issued an Endangered Person Advisory for a missing person incident that occurred at 1309 Jefferson Street at 10:10 a.m. on Sunday. An eight-year-old girl Dakota Sky Autumn

Man in custody identified after an officer-involved shooting in downtown Columbia

November 7, 2021 12:11 AM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) – The Columbia Police Department said one man is in police custody after a shooting downtown around 11:20 p.m. on Saturday. An officer observed one adult male brandishing and discharging a firearm. The officer fired his Department-issued service weapon at the suspect. The suspect, Christopher Michael Sledd, 51 of Columbia, surrendered to

Soil expert discusses dirt found on Elledge boots

November 6, 2021 10:50 AM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Missouri State Highway Patrol criminalist said soil found on Joseph Elledge’s boots closely matched soil found at the site where his wife was buried. Prosecutors led the sixth day of the Joseph Elledge murder trial with testimony from Will Randle, the patrol’s lead trace evidence analyst. Randle said he inspected a

One person shot along North Boulevard in Columbia on Saturday

November 6, 2021 12:49 AM Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) In a press release sent out on Saturday morning, the Columbia Police Department says one woman was shot along the area of North Blvd. and North 8th St. around midnight. CPD confirmed to ABC 17 News crews that one woman was injured in the incident and there was property damage from the

Anthropologist explains his review of Ji’s remains found at Rock Bridge State Park

November 5, 2021 5:50 AM Ben Fein

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An anthropologist spoke this afternoon to jurors, explaining his review of Mengqi Ji’s remains found at Rock Bridge State Park. Doctor Mark Beary says Ji’s remains were missing several bones, including her right arm and the hyoid bone in her neck when they came to the Boone County Medical Examiner’s Office. Dr.

Columbia police say man accused of sex crimes is captured

November 5, 2021 11:51 AM Zachary Farwell

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department is searching for a man accused of sex crimes. According to a Twitter post made by the police department on Thursday, officers are looking for 52-year-old Larnell D. Brown. Police said Brown is known to visit local hotels. The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office filed felony first-degree sodomy and

FBI agent and CPD detective take stand during Joseph Elledge trial

November 4, 2021 5:41 AM ABC 17 News Team

Joseph Elledge’s murder trial is set to continue Thursday, after he was charged with killing his wife in February of 2020.