Crime Archives

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.

Police visited Columbia motel hundreds of times in past year

December 10, 2019 11:52 AM Molly Stawinoga

Police have visited a Columbia motel where a person was found dead Tuesday from a gunshot wound hundreds of times in the past year.

Court denies insurance company’s appeal in Ryan Ferguson lawsuit

December 10, 2019 5:01 PM Matt Ragsdale

Missouri Court of Appeals Western District judges sided with Ryan Ferguson after an insurance company appealed a Boone County court ruling that awarded Ferguson $5.3 million in a wrongful conviction lawsuit.

Police identify man killed in Columbia shooting

December 10, 2019 12:54 AM Kevin Vauble

Columbia Police on scene of homicide at Welcome Inn in north Columbia COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Police say they found a 36-year-old Columbia man dead in a car at a north Columbia motel late Monday. Police on patrol saw a running vehicle in the parking lot of Welcome Inn on North Providence Road at about 11:50

Columbia liquor store robbed for second time in less than a month

December 10, 2019 2:15 PM Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Police are investigating the second armed robbery in a little more than a month at a southwest Columbia liquor store. Officers were called at about 5 p.m. Monday to Xpress Liquor & Smokes on Corona Road in the Cherry Hill area of Columbia. A man wearing a camouflage jacket with dark pants

Huntsville man charged in connection with Moberly armed robbery

December 10, 2019 11:13 AM Madison Fleck

MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Huntsville man was arrested and charged on Tuesday after he allegedly went in to Bratcher’s Fuel in Moberly and pulled a gun on an employee. Shawn K. McCormick was arrested and charged with first-degree robbery. The incident happened around 6 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Moberly Police Department. An undisclosed

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

Moberly police arrest armed robbery suspect

December 9, 2019 7:24 PM Katie Greathouse

MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Moberly Police Department arrested one person in connection with an armed robbery on Monday. According to a news release, detectives arrested the person around 1:30 p.m. The armed robbery happened Saturday at Bratcher’s Fuel on South Morely Street around 6 p.m. An undisclosed amount of cash was taken, according to a

Suspect arrested following Fulton home invasion

December 8, 2019 11:09 PM Abbey Lamb

FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ) – One man was arrested following a break-in at a home, according to the Fulton Police Department. The incident happened just after 10:30 a.m. in the 200 block of West 6th Street, according to a news release. Police say investigators found that Silas Billups of Fulton forced his way into the home,

Moberly police ask public to help identify armed robbery suspect

December 8, 2019 2:46 PM Barry Mangold

One suspect is at large after an armed robbery at a Moberly store. Bratcher’s Fuel on South Morely Street was robbed around 6 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Moberly Police Department. An undisclosed amount of cash was taken, according to a store employee. In a Facebook post, police shared photos of the male suspect,

Fulton shooting suspect arrested after chase

December 7, 2019 7:10 PM Zach Boetto

FULTON, MO. (KMIZ) – Callaway County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 27-year-old Markus Berry of Auxvasse Saturday night, in connection to a shooting at a Fulton gas station. Fulton Police Chief Steve Meyers said Berry was arrested around 5:30 p.m. Saturday in North Callaway County after leading deputies on a vehicle pursuit. According to a Facebook post,

Sheriff: Authorities shoot armed man who allegedly shot, wounded two women

December 7, 2019 3:34 PM Barry Mangold

TIPTON, Mo. (KMIZ) – One man was shot by authorities in Tipton early Saturday morning after allegedly injuring two women. Just before midnight on Friday, there were 911 calls for shots fired at an apartment complex in the 400 block of High Street. When they arrived, Tipton police officers and Moniteau County Sheriff’s deputies found

Gasconade County Sheriff’s Office arrests Steven Vinson

December 7, 2019 12:20 PM Ben Fein

Gasconade County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group executed a search warrant around 1 AM on Friday in the 100 Block of E. Missouri Avenue in Bland. While inside, officers found Steven Vinson, age 23 of Bland who was wanted on a Probation and Parole warrant. Officers also found numerous items of stolen

Moniteau County Sheriff: No danger to public after overnight shooting

December 7, 2019 7:13 AM Molly Stawinoga

An official with the Moniteau County Sheriff’s Department confirmed an overnight shooting. Sheriff Tony Wheatley said they have the shooting suspect in custody and there is no danger to the public. ABC 17 News confirmed it happened in Tipton. Authorities could not confirm any other details of the shooting. They said they expect to send

Fulton Police: No one hurt in shooting at Break Time gas station

December 6, 2019 10:40 PM Matt Ragsdale

FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ) UPDATE 12:45 a.m.: Fulton police said in a news release that no one was reported hurt in the shooting. According to police, multiple people were involved in a physical altercation. During the fight, the subjects exchanged gunfire in the parking lot of the Break Time gas station. Police said several bullets hit

Family, friends remember teenager killed in Columbia police chase

December 6, 2019 5:37 PM Sydney Olsen

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The mother of a Hallsville teenager killed in a crash early Friday called him a “loving young man who made a stupid mistake.” Hayden Holt, 17, died when his vehicle crashed into a utility pole during a chance involving police. Holt’s mother, Kari Hallowell, described her son as loving. “I will say

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

Search for Mengqi Ji Elledge suspended until Tuesday

December 6, 2019 8:09 AM Zach Boetto

COOPER COUNTY, Mo. Divers will resume their search of the Lamine River for a missing Columbia woman on Tuesday. Columbia Police Department spokesman Jeff Pitts said authorities were pausing their search for the weekend as the sun set Friday. Friday was the fifth day divers were at the De Bourgmont Lamine River Access. Crews also