Crime Archives

Columbia police looking for armed robbers

October 13, 2020 10:28 AM ABC 17 News Team

Columbia police said Tuesday that they’re looking for two people who were part of an armed robbery overnight at a car dealership parking lot.

Former Missouri youth pastor charged with child sex abuse

October 12, 2020 3:34 PM Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A former youth pastor was charged with seven felonies following accusations he sexually abused a child in Missouri. The Springfield News-Leader reports 46-year-old Jeff Taylor of Strafford, Missouri, was charged Thursday with five counts of statutory sodomy and two counts of statutory rape. Taylor is accused of sexually abusing a

Jefferson City police arrest man with multiple warrants

October 12, 2020 11:16 AM Matt Ragsdale

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Jefferson City officers arrested a man with multiple active warrants early Sunday morning. A release from the police department said 27-year-old Jonathan Adams and a woman were arrested at a Days Inn hotel on Jefferson Street. Officers were patrolling the area when they saw a vehicle associated with Adams in the

Cole County Sheriff’s Dept. make arrest in statutory rape of 15-year-old

October 9, 2020 9:20 PM Karl Wehmhoener

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Cole County Sheriff‘s deputies took a report of a sexual offense involving a 15-year-old female and a 37-year-old male on Oct. 1. In the probable cause statement, the victim’s mother becomes suspicious of the victim and older male’s relantionship and put spyware on the victim’s phone. In the PC statement, the

Search warrant leads to multiple arrests in Jefferson City

October 9, 2020 8:08 PM Karl Wehmhoener

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A search warrant executed by the Cole County Sheriff’s Department and MUSTANG Drug Task Force leads to a multiple arrests, marijuana seizure and multiple firearm violations. According to the release, law enforcement search a residence on the 2400 block of Livingston street in Jefferson City. Court documents reveal Scott Howell and

Department of Corrections employee arrested after drug investigation

October 9, 2020 6:46 PM Karl Wehmhoener

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) On Wednesday, Cole County Sheriff Deputies and the MUSTANG Drug Task Force arrested an employee of the Jefferson City Correctional Center after a drug investigation. According to the release, the 39-year-old female employee of the Department of Corrections was found to be in possession of 39 grams of meth, packaged in

Missouri Supreme Court upholds ballot notarization law

October 9, 2020 5:10 PM Associated Press

The Missouri Supreme Court has upheld a new state law that requires people wanting to vote remotely this year to have their ballot notarized unless they meet certain criteria. The NAACP and the League of Women Voters had urged the court to require the state to count all mail-in and absentee ballots this year without

Joseph Elledge pleads not guilty to three felony charges.

Court to consider reduced bond for Columbia man accused of wife’s murder

October 9, 2020 3:26 PM Zola Crowder

Joseph Elledge is in the Boone County Jail without bond on a first-degree murder charge in the disappearance of Mengqi Ji.

Grand jury indicts two after search tied to Jefferson City child death

October 9, 2020 2:21 PM ABC 17 News Team

EDITOR’S NOTE: The headline has been changed to clarify that the charges are based on what authorities said they found during the search. Officials have not said the charges are directly related to the child’s death. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Cole County grand jury indicted a Jefferson City couple Thursday in connection with an

Jefferson City Correctional Center employee arrested on suspicion of drug possession

October 9, 2020 3:02 PM Matt Ragsdale

Deputies say the employee had methamphetamine and synthetic marijuana, also called K2, wrapped in plastic for distribution.

Hearing scheduled for man accused of murdering missing Columbia mother

October 9, 2020 4:50 AM Ben Fein

Joseph Elledge, who was charged with murdering his wife Mengqi Ji in February, has court hearings scheduled Friday.

A stalled search: One year later, Columbia mother Mengqi Ji remains missing

October 8, 2020 2:35 PM Sydney Olsen

One year after Mengqi Ji, a Columbia mother, went missing police continue the search for her. Police announced on Tuesday Wednesday they would begin searching the Lamine River for Ji once again while removing part of the levee they built because the water level was so low.

Second man accused of Mexico killing arrested

October 8, 2020 11:23 AM Matt Ragsdale

Mexico authorities say a second man accused of a June 27 killing was arrested Thursday morning.

Columbia man charged with murder linked to fatal drug overdose

October 8, 2020 1:07 PM Matt Ragsdale

A Columbia man was charged in Miller County Thursday linked to a death investigation from August.

Missouri Highway Patrol investigating after someone is shot with a Columbia Police Department-owned firearm

October 8, 2020 5:53 PM Karl Wehmhoener

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control is investigating after someone is shot with a Columbia Police Department-owned firearm on Monday. Columbia Police first responded early Monday morning after being dispatched to University Hospital and Clinics, 1 Hospital Drive, for a report of a gunshot victim in the emergency

Columbia police, dispatchers implement changes after Volunteer Drive shooting

September 20, 2020 10:27 PM Sydney Olsen

Columbia police and Boone County Joint Communications are working to improve communication after it broke down during a shooting in north east Columbia. This prevented EMS crews from entering the scene to provide help to victims.

Deputy who fatally shot Missouri woman reinstated to force

October 8, 2020 9:03 AM Associated Press

The Pettis County sheriff’s deputy returned to work last week after an internal investigation found he had not violated any department policies in the June 13 shooting death of 25-year-old Hannah Fizer.

Lamine River search for missing Columbia woman yet to resume

October 8, 2020 2:57 PM Riane Cleveland

As of Thursday the search for missing Columbia woman Mengqi Ji has not resumed.

Thursday marks one year since Columbia woman last seen alive

October 8, 2020 5:11 AM Ben Fein

It has now been one year since Columbia woman Mengqi Ji was last seen alive.

Columbia police to again search river for remains of Mengqi Ji

October 7, 2020 3:54 PM Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department said Wednesday that it would make another attempt at finding a woman’s remains in the Lamine River. Police suspended the search for Mengqi Ji’s remains in the river near Boonville in June. Ji went missing last October. Her husband, Joseph Elledge, has been charged with her murder. Elledge