Indiana woman pleads guilty in Callaway County murder case
An Indiana woman pleaded guilty to a lesser charge Thursday after being accused of helping in a 2019 murder.
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Survey results: Crime reduction picked as top priority for CPD during search for next chief
COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ) A new survey from the City of Columbia shows 80.82% of respondents believe that reducing crime should be the highest priority for Columbia’s next chief of police. The City hired Public Sector Search and Consulting, Inc., a search firm that specializes in recruiting police executives and managing the complex search process, according
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Casa Maria’s owner accused of arson cited with operating business without license
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The owner of Casa Maria’s Mexican Cantina in Columbia — who was recently charged with second-degree arson – has now been cited with operating the business without a valid license. Crystal Umfress, 42, was cited on Monday with a license violation. According to the violation notice, the business license for the south
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Registered sex offender in Boonville charged with several child sex crimes
BOONVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) A registered sex offender in Boonville was charged on Friday in Cooper County with several child sex crimes. Terry Bulen, 57, was charged with first-degree child molestation, incest and two counts of first-degree aggravated sodomy. Bulen was not on the Cooper County Jail’s online roster on Tuesday night. However, records on Casenet
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MU fraternity member in Santulli case pleads guilty to giving alcohol to minor
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Another University of Missouri fraternity member accused in the Danny Santulli hazing case has pleaded guilty. Blake Morsovillo, of Springfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty in court on Tuesday to supplying alcohol to a minor, a misdemeanor. He was previously charged with felony hazing. He was sentenced to serve two years of unsupervised probation and
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Charges filed against three in Jefferson City park shooting
A man who showed up at a Columbia hospital late Thursday with a gunshot wound has been charged with three felonies for his alleged role in a gunfight at a Jefferson City park.
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Trial delayed again for man accused of killing Russellville classmate in 1991
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A jury trial has been delayed again for a Fulton man accused of killing his Russellville classmate in 1991. William “Chris” Niemet, 46, is accused of killing his classmate, Greg Jones, in April 1991 in Russellville. Jones was 14. Niemet also would have been 14 at the time. Niemet was charged in 2020 with first-degree
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Callaway County Sheriff arrests two after multi-county pursuit
CALLAWAY COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) Two men in their early twenties were arrested Saturday after leading a Callaway County Sheriff’s Office vehicle on a multi-county chase. Liam Lee Austin, 21Courtesy: Callaway County Sheriff’s Office Liam Lee Austin, 21, was arrested for allegedly resisting arrest by fleeing, driving with a revoked license and speeding. He bonded out
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Multiple arrests made on Friday after a shooting left two people injured in Jefferson City Park on Thursday
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Three people were taken into custody on Friday for their alleged involvement in a shooting that happened on Thursday at a Jefferson City Park. Two men were injured after they were shot amid a large gathering at McClung Park a little after 11 p.m. According to a Jefferson City Police Department
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Court appearance scheduled Tuesday for Casa Maria’s co-owner accused of arson in Bootheel town
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The co-owner of a Columbia restaurant who is accused of second-degree arson in southeastern Missouri has a court date next week. Crystal Umfress, 42, was charged with second-degree arson and has a court appearance set for 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Dunklin County Courthouse. She was booked into the Cape Girardeau County
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Columbia woman sentenced to prison after guilty plea in deadly motorcycle crash
A Columbia woman originally charged with four felonies in a deadly 2021 crash with a motorcycle instead pleaded guilty to one Friday and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
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Two arrested Thursday in separate Callaway County chases
FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ) Two men were arrested Thursday in separate chases in Callaway County, according to court documents and the sheriff’s office. The first of two arrests has resulted in charges. Christopher Draper, 33, of St. Louis, was charged with first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, resisting arrest and driving while revoked. He is being
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Columbia man charged following six-mile chase south of I-70
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man was arrested on Thursday following a chase with police near the Columbia Mall, according to court documents. Octavious Davis, 18, was charged with two misdemeanors – resisting arrest and DWI – and a pair of felonies, delivery of a controlled substance and drug possession. He was booked into the
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December certification hearing set for juvenile suspect in south Columbia homicide
A juvenile suspect in the May killing of a woman at her south Columbia home could be ordered to stand trial as an adult this winter.
Continue Reading Two shot at Jefferson City park
Lincoln University police officers were sent to McClung Park a little after 11 p.m. on reports of gunfire
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Casa Maria’s co-owner charged in Bootheel arson case booked into, released from Cape Girardeau County Jail
CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) A co-owner of a Columbia restaurant who was wanted for second-degree arson has been booked into — and since released from — the Cape Girardeau County Jail. Crystal Umfress, 42, co-owner of Casa Maria’s Mexican Cantina, is facing arson charges for her alleged role in starting a fire at a restaurant
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Columbia woman accused of taking more than $19,000 in SNAP money, lying on application
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia woman has been charged after authorities claim she unlawfully took more than $19,000 in SNAP benefits and made false statements on the program’s applications. Andrea Rhoden, 33, was charged in Boone County on Wednesday with stealing $750 or more and unlawfully receiving public assistance. She was not in the Boone
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Judge recuses himself from Jefferson City murder case
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The judge in a Jefferson City murder case has recused himself from presiding over the case on Thursday. Judge Cotton Walker recused himself from the murder case involving Sergio Sayles. A new judge has yet to be assigned, according to Casenet. Sayles, 36, of Jefferson City, was charged with first-degree murder,
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Fulton man with child porn charges now charged with sexual misconduct in Moniteau County
FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ) A Fulton man who was charged last week with having child pornography has now been charged with sexual misconduct involving a child. Robert Wayne Stuart, 35, was charged on Sept. 27 in Callaway County with six counts of having child pornography. Stuart has since been charged in Moniteau County with sexual misconduct
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Callaway prosecutor reviewing officer-involved shooting at Columbia apartment complex
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A special prosecutor said he will start his review of a deadly Columbia police shooting that happened in August. Police were called twice to The Landing — an apartment complex on Campusview Drive in south Columbia — on Aug. 4. A man who reported being suicidal was killed after shooting at officers,
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