Woman charged with murder in Holts Summit shooting to have trial in Boone County
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A woman who is charged with murder in a fatal shooting at a Holts Summit apartment complex in April will have her trial in Boone County.
Heather Smith, 37, of Holts Summit, was charged with three counts of unlawful use of a weapon, a count of first-degree of endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree felony murder and armed criminal action.
A hearing on Monday determined the trial will be held in Boone County. A hearing is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19.
Smith is accused of killing Kara Dills, 37. Court documents in previous reporting say the shooting started with an argument between Smith and Dills at Hunter Lane Apartments. The documents cite nine witnesses to the shooting.
Video surveillance allegedly showed Smith threatening witnesses with a pistol before the shooting. One witness allegedly tried to disarm her after she pointed the gun at several people, but was not successful.
Dills allegedly got a gun and pistol-whipped Smith on the forehead, documents say. The gun went off, grazing a man later identified as Thomas Jones, 71, on his head, according to the probable cause statement. After Dills lowered her gun and started to walk away, Smith shot her in the stomach, the statement says. She later died.
Jones was later charged with fourth-degree assault for failure to listen to deputies. He has a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, July 18.