Columbia police investigate 2019 double homicide as families search for justice
Meghan Drakas
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
More than six years after two Columbia residents were shot and killed in northeast Columbia, their families and police are still searching for answers.
“Something that was different about this scene than others, it was very quiet,” Columbia Police Department Lt. Matt Gremore said.
Just after 3 a.m. Sept. 22, 2019, police responded to the corner of Rice Road and McKee Street. Gremore said police originally responded to a shooting call, but officers were not aware of any victims at the scene.
“Multiple officers showed up,” Gremore said. “They started trying to render aid, putting chest seals on the wounds and gauze and everything that they could possibly do.”
Gremore said 36-year-old Antonio Houston was found on the lawn between Rice Road and the home, while 33-year-old Danielle Marine was found between the home and the gravel driveway. They were both taken to the hospital and were pronounced dead.
Gremore said the shooting appeared to be targeted and the two were shot multiple times. Multiple bullet holes can still be seen on the left side of the home.
“It was hard to determine which bullet holes were from this event, or if there was some from a prior event too,” Gremore said. “During my time here, I can think of several homicides that we found on this particular street alone.”
Gremore said shell casings were found at the scene, but wouldn’t elaborate further on what other types of evidence was collected during the investigation.
Just a day after the shooting, at least three homes in the same area of McKee Street and Rice Road were shot. Police found at least 17 shell casings at the scene, but no injuries were reported.
Danielle Marine
Shemeca Marine said she recalls waking up around 6 a.m. on Sept. 22, 2019, to a bunch of messages and missed phone calls.
“My oldest sister Nicole called me and said Danielle was shot,” Shemeca Marine said. “I just broke, I just broke. And I couldn’t stop nonstop for almost two hours, maybe three hours.”
She said her first thought when she saw all the missed messages and phone calls was that something happened to her mother.
“I never in a million years would have thought this would be something going on with my sister.”
After more than half a decade, Shemeca Marine, said she is reminded of her sister, Danielle Marinem everyday.
“My sister was [a] free spirit, she was bright,” Shemeca Marine said. “She was pretty much an open book…I feel like when I lost my sister, I picked up a lot of her traits.”
Shemeca Marine said her sister was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the family moved to Columbia in 1998. Danielle Marine went to Hickman High School and was very social. Just weeks before Danielle Marine was killed, Danielle had moved back to Columbia from Dallas, Texas, Shemeca Marine said.
Danielle Marine left behind two sons and a daughter. Shemeca said Danielle’s daughter, reminds her “so much” of Danielle.
“I’m angry because Columbia is too small,” Shemeca said. “People know something…it hurts, it’s painful.”
Shemeca says believes someone knows something in this case and she wants them to come forward.
“Coming forward would be a blessing, and justice for the family,” Shemeca Marine said. “Somebody knows the truth and it would not only help my sister, [and] Antonio but other loved ones for people to come forward.”
Antonio Houston
Antonio Houston’s sister, Kisha Houston, said her brother has six children. She said he enjoyed family gatherings and that his family was his life. She said the Hickman High School alumni was a friendly and peaceful person, who enjoyed “going out with friends and family.” She said he was working at a lot at a local landscaping and lawn care business, before he died.
Kisha Houston said Antonio Houston was her “baby brother” but over the years, she said it seemed like he became her big brother and the “more responsible” one.
Kisha Houston said her brother would help anyone he could and said Danielle Marine and he were friends. Kisha Houston said the two were not in a relationship, but Danielle Marine had been staying at Antonio’s house for a few days. She said the night they were killed, the two were visiting a friend’s home.
It’s been hard for his children, since they lost their father, Kisha said.
Where the case stands today
When speaking with ABC 17 News at the scene of the crime, Gremore said police do not know if this was a drive-by shooting or if the shooter or shooters walked up to the scene.
“I would be speculating to say that we knew that the suspects were in a car,” Gremore said. “I can’t say that.”
Throughout the years, Gremore said police have heard the rumors about potential suspects in the case.
“There’s generally names that are consistent with this investigation,” Gremore said. “But every now and then, you’ll get told other information as well, too.”
He went on to say police “absolutely do have people of interest in mind.”
He said as technology has become more advance, it’s helped police do their jobs better as there’s things officers can do now that don’t need a person to come forward to talk about.
“But those are not the end all be all,” Gremore said. “I think it’s harder now to get someone to understand the importance of providing information because we can’t do everything with technology alone.”
He said submitting tips using CrimeStoppers is helpful, but for this case to be adjudicated, he said it’s going to take someone to come forward with information to the police department. He said it’s hard not to have answers about what happened to give to the families after six years.
“I think that bothers everybody at the police department to not be able to give that information to the family,” Gremore said.
September 2019
Danielle Marine and Houston’s murders happened during a stretch of six homicides in fewer than two weeks in Columbia. From Sept. 13-25, 2019, there were five shootings where seven people were shot. Only one person survived but he was later killed in a shooting in 2023.
Gremore said he doesn’t believe Danielle Marine and Antonio Houston’s deaths are linked to the other shootings. But he believes some of the other shootings are connected.
A map of Columbia shows the locations of five shootings from Sept. 13, 2019 to Sept. 25, 2019 where seven people were shot and six people were killed.
The seventh and final person shot during this stretch of shootings was 23-year-old James Hickem. His case is also still open and no arrests have been made. CPD is investigating 17 unsolved homicide cases with 19 victims dating back to 1985.