Boone County prosecutor names new top assistant, keeps veteran on as consultant
Lucas Geisler
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) –
The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office named a new top assistant, but will keep the person who just left the spot close by.
Prosecutor Roger Johnson said Wednesday that he named Melissa Buchanan to serve as the first assistant in the office. Buchanan will replace veteran prosecutor Sue Boresi, who left the office on Friday.
Buchanan has worked in the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office since February 2024. Johnson said Buchanan worked in the special victims unit, which deals with sexual assaults, domestic violence and crimes against children. Buchanan is slated to make $102,000 annually.
“Melissa Buchanan’s promotion to first assistant brings an exceptional level of energy and dedication to our leadership team,” Johnson said. “That passion is vital as we work to meet the challenges ahead and advance the cause of public safety in Boone County.”
Buchanan worked as a public defender for five years in Columbia after graduating from the UMKC law school. She moved to the city of Columbia’s legal department as an adviser to the police department and staff member on the Commission on Human Rights. She became head of the Missouri Secretary of State’s Securities Enforcement Division in 2023.
The county plans to keep Boresi around the office as a consultant to finish three murder cases. The county would pay her a $12,000 retainer to handle the pending cases against Adam Conner, Curtis Lewis and Randall Fox.
Boresi would make $1,500 for the first day of any trial and $1,000 for all subsequent days.