Fewer criminal shooting deaths in Jefferson City this year compared to 2018
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Jefferson City Police Department has investigated four shooting deaths in 2019 compared to six shooting deaths in 2018, according to police records.
A Jefferson City man is accused of two Thanksgiving killings. Torry A. Upchurch, 27, went to the police station wearing bloody clothes and admitted that he knew he had "just committed two murders," according to court documents.
Police have identified the victims as Earle Key Jr., 17, of Jefferson City and Shantae Hill-Cook, 33, of Columbia.
Officers went to the 1300 block of W. McCarty Street around 6 p.m Thursday for reports of someone being injured and found Key had died from gunshot wounds.
The department received multiple calls of shots fired at the 2300 block of Southridge Drive around 8:45 p.m. Officers found Hill-Cook lying in the street with fatal gun shot wounds.
The Cole County Prosecutor is charging Upchurch with two counts of first degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, two counts of unlawful use of a firearm and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.
One person was killed on Oct. 31 in the 1900 block of Rolling Hills Drive. The victim was identified as 18-year-old Marquise Conley.
Holts Summit resident, Devin L. Schrimpf is charged with 1st degree murder and armed criminal action in connection to Conley's death, according to Cole County Prosecutor.
Jefferson City's first shooting death this year happened on April 13 in the 300 block of Hickory Street. Robert Scott, 20, was found with gunshot wounds and later died in the hospital.
In connection to Scott's homicide, Marquis Avant is being charged with 2nd degree felony murder, unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence.
Columbia has seen 10 criminal shooting deaths in 2019 and six in 2018, according to police records.
