Columbia Archives

ATM ‘jackpotting’ suspect arrested in Columbia

November 27, 2025 10:30 AM Madison Stuerman

Antoni Garcia-Cordoba, 42, was arrested in Columbia, MO on Wednesday for his involvement in ATM “jackpotting” thefts in Pennsylvania.

Record-tying 405 turkeys fried by Rotary Club for Thanksgiving

November 27, 2025 6:25 AM Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Rotary Club of Columbia fried hundreds of turkeys as it hosted its annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Fry on Thursday at the Knights of Columbus. The Thanksgiving Day Turkey Fry is in its sixth year at the Rotary Club and is a tradition that supports local service projects. The Rotary Club is

CMHS given custody of dogs from breeder who is charged with animal abuse

November 26, 2025 12:56 PM Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boone County judge on Wednesday ruled that the Central Missouri Humane Society will have custody of the dogs who were allegedly abused by a local breeder. A lawyer for Melissa Sanders, 26, argued the animals she is accused of abusing should be returned to her. Boone County/Columbia Animal Control argued

Columbia man charged with child sex crime

November 26, 2025 3:35 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man has been charged with a child sex crime after authorities say he messaged someone who posed as a minor and asked them to meet for sex. Torrey Guerra, 48, was charged with child enticement and misdemeanor illegal possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held at the Boone County

New roundabout on Business Loop 70 opens

November 26, 2025 2:44 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A portion of Business Loop 70 that closed earlier this month for roundabout construction has reopened. The new roundabout is now in use and is expected to give Business Loop 70 direct access to Interstate 70 by 2027, a Wednesday press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation says. Business Loop 70

Suspect in 2018 Columbia rape arrested in St. Louis

November 26, 2025 9:41 AM Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia police said Wednesday that a man charged over the summer with a 2018 rape was arrested in St. Louis. Antonio E. Bates, 58, of St. Louis, was arrested Tuesday on a warrant for first-degree rape, according to a Columbia Police Department news release. A CPD spokesman said Bates will be brought

It's the time of year when people enjoy alcoholic beverages at bars and breweries

Free rides home offered on ‘Blackout Wednesday’ to prevent drunk driving

November 26, 2025 5:40 AM Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Hundreds of free rides will be offered starting Wednesday afternoon, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and as the Missouri State Highway Patrol begins the holiday counting period. According to the Highway Patrol, the night before Thanksgiving is sometimes called “Blackout Wednesday,” a term that has become popular for social gatherings and heavy

Survey shows Thanksgiving dinner costs are down this year; local grocery prices align

November 25, 2025 7:40 PM Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Shopping for Thanksgiving this year likely put less of a strain on people’s wallets this year, according to a survey. The American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual Thanksgiving survey shows a Thanksgiving dinner was down about 5% in 2025, compared to 2024. The report states an average dinner for 10 people costs roughly

CoMoHelps continues relief efforts as requests for emergency assistance top $113,000

November 25, 2025 7:31 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) With the federal government shutdown over and SNAP benefits restored, local nonprofits say the demand for emergency assistance remains, and CoMoHelps will continue taking requests for at least another week. The collaborative relief fund — relaunched in October as SNAP benefits were halted — has now allocated nearly $60,000 to 11 agencies, according

‘Warrant sweep’ operation that led to 19 indictments named after ‘Mr. Brightside’

November 25, 2025 6:29 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Department of Justice confirmed on Tuesday that the name of a law enforcement operation that led to several arrests in Columbia last week was named after a song by The Killers. Operation Brightside — which resulted in 33 arrests and 19 indictments for mostly illegal gun possession – was named after

Holts Summit man pleads guilty in 2024 hammer attack, sentenced to 13 years in prison

November 25, 2025 5:03 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Holts Summit man pleaded guilty on Friday to three felonies in a January 2024 hammer attack at a Columbia bar. Kurtis Hoener pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree assault and one count of armed criminal action. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison for the charges. Court documents in

University of Missouri strangling suspect had criminal history before coming to Columbia

November 25, 2025 12:52 PM Haley Swaino

Maxwell Warren, a student at the University of Missouri, was recently accused of strangling someone at a residence hall after being blocked on Snapchat. The 18-year-old Kansas man was charged on November 3 with first-degree burglary, second-degree domestic assault, first-degree domestic assault and misdemeanor fourth-degree assault.

Former University of Missouri officer sues over firing while deployed overseas

November 25, 2025 10:59 AM Olivia Hayes

EDITOR’S NOTE: AI was used to help research the initial version of this story. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Missouri National Guard soldier and former University of Missouri police officer has filed a lawsuit against the university’s board of curators, claiming wrongful termination while he was deployed overseas. Jakob Hans Wetter alleges in a lawsuit filed

Local, state and federal officials announce 33 arrests in ‘Operation Brightside’ warrant sweep in Columbia

November 24, 2025 8:03 AM Jazsmin Halliburton, Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies announced at a news conference Monday they arrested 33 individuals in a “warrant sweep” in Columbia. The Department of Justice says all but one of these arrests were for felony charges. 33 arrests 19 federal indictments 21 felony state warrants 6 residential search warrants In

Truck driver in deadly I-70 crash in Columbia given four years for manslaughter

November 24, 2025 12:19 PM Nia Hinson, Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man who killed two women while driving on Interstate 70 in Columbia in 2024 was sentenced Tuesday to four years in prison. Walter Montejo pleaded guilty to lesser charges in connection with the deadly crash in September. As part of the plea, Montejo was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter

Woman accused of embezzling from Columbia, Boonville nonprofits back in jail

November 24, 2025 8:27 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman who is accused of embezzling money from nonprofits in Boonville and Columbia is back in jail. Jennifer Waibel, 52, of Boonville, is being held at the Cooper County Jail for a Boone County warrant, according to online jail records. She was booked into the jail at 1:48 p.m. Monday and

Pair accused of burglarizing dead man’s home in Columbia

November 24, 2025 7:57 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Two people were accused of stealing weed, oil and thousands of dollars from a Columbia home this past weekend, hours after police had conducted a death investigation. David Stroup Jr., 51, and Uneeda Stroup, 48, both of Alaben, Missouri, were charged with second-degree burglary, stealing more than $750 and stealing drugs. They

UM System president backs median ordinance, urges Columbia to take additional steps

November 24, 2025 7:32 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) University of Missouri System President Mun Choi says he is supporting the City of Columbia’s proposed median ordinance, but hopes to see other safety measures in place. “I really do enjoy working with the mayor and she has been very supportive of the police department. But, we all recognize that there’s more

Columbia drug case where 17 pounds of meth were found in diaper bag moved to federal court

November 24, 2025 6:38 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A case where police allegedly found 17 pounds of methamphetamine in a diaper bag in a Cyber Truck has moved to federal court. Asia Schafer, 24, were charged in federal court last week with conspiracy to distribute and three counts of possession with the intent to distribute; while Kenneth Williams, 41, was

Woman sentenced to 22 years in 2024 Conley Road Walmart shooting

November 24, 2025 5:33 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman was sentenced to 22 years in prison on Monday after she pleaded guilty last month to two felonies. Whitney Nevels-McKee, 37, of Columbia, pleaded guilty in October to six felonies, including armed criminal action and carjacking. She is being held at the Boone County Jail. She was accused of shooting