Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Three more men were charged with child enticement on Thursday in Boone County.

Ethan Deimeke, 27, of Auxvasse; David Burres, 32; and Brice Morris, 34, of Columbia;  were all charged on Thursday. They are all being held at the Boone County Jail without bond and have initial court appearances set for 1 p.m. Friday.

Court documents in all three cases state each man separately messaged a “decoy on an escort website” who they believed were youth on Wednesday. The brief statements for Deimeke and Morris say they believed their decoy was 16 years old and Burres believed his to be 14 years old.

The statements say Deimeke arrived at a Boone County address at 6:15 p.m. and “was in possession of the exact dollar amount discussed and a particular soft drink for the minor.”

Burres was detained when he arrived at 7 p.m. and Morris arrived at 8:15 p.m. Burres allegedly did not deny that he intended to meet a minor for sex and Morris allegedly admittedly his intent to pay for sex with a minor, court documents indicate.

Rollie Pogue, 29, of Moberly; and Jose Jimenzez, 54, of Columbia; were charged on Wednesday with the same charge. They are both being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. Arraignment were scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

Court documents in both cases say they also messaged a decoy on an escort website on Tuesday, who they believed was 16 years old. Both men were arrested around 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to court documents.

Daniel Follett, 56, and Rifat Apurba, 30, were also arrested earlier this week under similar circumstances and are charged with child enticement. They are both being held at the Boone County Jail without bond.

An arraignment for Follett was set for Thursday afternoon. Apurba waived his preliminary hearing on Thursday.

Follett was the general counsel for the Department of Revenue. A DOR spokesperson confirmed to ABC 17 News on Thursday that the department was aware of Follett’s charges and that he had been terminated from his position.

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Mitchell Kaminski

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) 

With severe weather approaching Kansas City, the FIFA Fan Festival closed at 2 p.m. as a precaution.  Minutes later, thunder was heard in the area, followed by a sudden downpour as the skies opened up.

KC FanFest later posted on social media that they would not reopen on Thursday.

However, the looming rain did little to dampen the spirits of thousands of Dutch supporters who took to the streets in a march stretching more than a mile and a half through downtown Kansas City. Known as the Oranje Army, fans filled the streets with color and energy during their traditional fan walk to the stadium ahead of the Netherlands’ match against Tunisia.

Many of those same fans had attended the FIFA Fan Festival later in the day, and the approaching storms did little to dampen their spirits. Fans were seen dancing and chanting, even after the announcement that Fan Fest was closing early. 

“Look at Kansas City. What an amazing city to support the sport of soccer,” Kriston Kaylor, a Kansas City resident who was a part of the march, said. “Now we just move to the city and support all of the vendors there.” 

FIFA Fan Festival officials told ABC 17 News that, under standard safety protocols, organizers make announcements over the public address system when severe weather is approaching, with the goal of clearing fans from the area before storms arrive.

Reasons for shutting down Fanfest include a lightning strike within eight miles, a wind gust over 30 mph or if there is a threat of severe storms in the area. 

However, officials told ABC 17 News that if organizers are unable to clear the event in time, a designated storm shelter is available at an undisclosed location in case of emergency. They added that the location is not being made public due to security concerns.

Fan Festival has drawn massive crowds throughout the tournament. As of Tuesday, organizers say it has welcomed 147,000 visitors.

The thousands of Dutch fans who descended on Kansas City will only add to that total. Barnett Thompson said he made his first trip to Fanfest on Thursday with his son after seeing the Oranje Army. 

“My son’s really big into soccer and thought it would be a cool experience. It’s cool seeing Kansas City get an opportunity like this. We saw the Oranje Army, and though it’s going to bring a lot of people out, Thompson said. “I don’t think [the rain] even matters. We are just happy to be here and are going to enjoy downtown Kansas City.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A restaurant owner in Jefferson City who is accused of harboring people with “an illegal immigration status” turned himself in to law enforcement, the Department of Justice wrote in a Thursday press release.

Danny Cheng, 46, who owns Dragon Kitchen in the 2200 block of Missouri Boulevard, is accused of running a “dormitory” of people who were not citizens in the 800 block of Crestmere Court.

At least five people were seen living in the home, according to the probable cause statement.

Details in the court documents described more than one employee working 12 hours per day, six days a week at the restaurant and were not given paystubs.

Cheng was already accused of withholding more than $935,000 in employee wages

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Sutton Parker

HUNTSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The spelling of Moberly has been corrected.

The bench trial of a Moberly man accused of killing a woman on his property wrapped up early Thursday afternoon after the defense requested a recess to adjust its strategy.

A bench trial got underway in Randolph County on Thursday for David Kip Heyde, who is accused of shooting a woman dead on his property last July. Heyde was charged last year with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Bailey Scott.

Following the lunch recess, the Heyde defense made opening statements. They indicated that they planned to call witnesses to testify that Scott was the primary aggressor, to show that Heyde acted in self-defense.

However, the prosecution and the judge ruled that the dynamic had already been established during the state’s presentation of evidence, rendering the defense’s planned witnesses unnecessary.

In response, the defense requested an early recess for the remainder of the day. The defense noted that they need additional time to confer and determine whether Heyde will take the stand to testify in his own defense.

The state argued against the delay, noting that the defense had previously stated it was fully prepared to proceed at the beginning of the trial on Thursday.

The judge granted the defendant’s request, pausing the proceedings for the afternoon. The trial is scheduled to reconvene on Friday at 9 a.m.

Alexandria Hardy testified that she heard an argument between Heyde and Scott on the day of the shooting, including Heyde yelling at Scott to get out of his yard.

When asked whether Heyde had been violent in the past, she said yes, adding that Heyde had “threatened to shoot me and my dog if I don’t keep off his lawn.”

Court documents state that Moberly police were sent to a shots-fired call in the 900 block of East Logan Street on July 6, 2025. During his interview with authorities, Heyde allegedly claimed the shooting was an act of self-defense.

Scott was found with a gunshot wound in her right torso.

Heyde told police he fired two shots at Scott, court documents say. He claimed self-defense, saying Scott hit him during an argument after she alleged he was “attempting to kill birds at the front of his property,” according to the probable cause statement.

The documents state that Heyde claimed Scott hit him during an argument after she alleged he was “attempting to kill birds at the front of his property,” court documents say. Scott’s body showed no obvious signs of trauma or injury to her hands, according to the probable cause statement.

Charles Peel, the Randolph County coroner, was called to conduct a death investigation. Peel testified Thursday that he approached the body alongside law enforcement and found wounds on the right side of the rib cage.

Peel said Scott was in a sitting position on the porch, with her chest hunched forward. He also said he was present for the autopsy.

Trooper Derek Powell, a 30-year veteran with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, testified that he was called to investigate because Heyde was a former Moberly Police officer.

Powell testified that Heyde admitted to shooting Scott, stating he did so because he feared for his life.

The trial was expected to resume after a lunch break.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two people suffered serious injuries in a Pulaski County crash Wednesday night.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a 37-year-old Camdenton man, along with a 23-year-old woman from Dixon, was driving westbound on Route P west of Highway 17 at 11:37 p.m. Wednesday. The report states that the truck traveled off the side of the road, struck a concrete embankment and overturned.

Both the driver and the passenger were transported by Pulaski County Ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital. According to online crash records, the driver was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash; whether the passenger was wearing a seatbelt is unknown.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 19-year-old Columbia man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of evidence tampering after two people were found shot in the parking lot of a Clark Lane apartment complex.

Chase Ricketts, 19, was arrested on suspicion of felony evidence tampering, and a juvenile male was arrested on suspicion of armed robbery, first-degree assault and armed criminal action, according to a Columbia Police Department news release.

CPD did not say why Ricketts and the juvenile were suspected in the shooting. Charges were not publicly available in online court records Thursday morning.

Police responded at 4 p.m. in the 51000 block of Clark Lane, a parking lot at the Greens apartment complex. One juvenile male was found shot multiple times and is in serious condition, according to Columbia Police Department spokesman Brian McNeill said Wednesday. Police later wrote in a social media post that the boy’s injuries were not life-threatening.

Police also received a call for shots fired at the 1300 block of Godas Drive, McNeill said. A man was found on Keene Street with non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital. CPD later wrote in a social media post that the man also had serious injuries.

CPD says the investigation is ongoing.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A lawsuit filed by Cole County after a 2023 fuel leak has been settled out of court.

The lawsuit, filed in April, accused Neumayer Equipment Company of breach of contract and negligence.

It claimed Neumayer incorrectly installed a fuel system, which caused the leak on July 24, 2023. More than 1,000 gallons of fuel polluted the Moreau River and surrounding areas.

Online court records show the case was dismissed on June 23 with prejudice.

In a statement to ABC 17 News, the lawsuit was dismissed as part of the settlement terms between the county and the insurance company.

The settlement shared by the county states the two agreed Neumayer’s insurance company would pay $446,592.86 in exchange for further court action.

The release of claims document states that the settlement resolves the claims against the company. This includes any demands, cause of action, damages, attorney fees and other compensation related to the fuel leak.

Sean Counihan, of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Environmental Services Program, told ABC 17 News in an email that no fuel was seen in the Moreau River, “only the small creek/tributary that traverses the Lincoln University farm property,” according to previous reporting.

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Mitchell Kaminski

SEDALIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were operating in Sedalia this week, according to city officials.

Sedalia Mayor Traves Williams confirmed to ABC 17 News that ICE officers were in the area on Tuesday, but said he was not notified in advance of their arrival.

ICE officers were seen near 16th Street alongside vehicles from the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office. Multiple residents who wished to remain anonymous — out of fear of possible retaliation — also told ABC 17 News that officers were observed making arrests at multiple businesses in the area.

The Pettis County Sheriff’s Office is one of more than 90 law enforcement agencies in Missouri that has entered into an agreement with ICE. ICE offers three partnership models for local agencies: The Jail Enforcement Model, Task Force Model and Warrant Service Officer Program. Agencies may participate in more than one model.

Pettis County Sheriff’s Office initially joined the agency’s Jail Enforcement Model in August 2025. Under the Jail Enforcement Model agreement, trained jail personnel are authorized to identify inmates in local custody who may be subject to immigration removal proceedings.

However, on April 25, the Pettis Sheriff’s Office signed a Task Force Model agreement in April. Under the Task Force Model, participating officers may identify individuals they believe are not U.S. citizens during routine policing, share information with ICE, and, in some cases, carry out immigration-related arrests or serve administrative warrants, but only under ICE supervision.

ABC 17 News reached out to both ICE and the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office for comment.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 57-year-old Moberly woman was seriously injured in a crash that occurred Wednesday afternoon on Highway 32 in Polk County, a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol says.

The report says the woman’s 2011 Cadillac SRX rear-ended a 2012 Cadillac SRX that was driven by a 48-year-old Moberly man. Neither driver wore a seatbelt, according to the report.

The woman was brought to Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar by ambulance, according to the report.

Both Cadillacs had extensive damage. MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 56-year-old Columbia man was charged with a child sex crime on Wednesday in Boone County.

Daniel Follett, 56, was charged with child enticement. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

The brief probable cause statement says Follett arrived at a Boone County location at 5 p.m. Tuesday to pay money to a minor for sex.

The criminal complaint says Follett reached out to a “decoy” on an escort website to set up the meeting.

The statement says he sent messages to a messages online to someone he believed to be a 16-year-old girl and discussed paying them money for sex. The statement also says he went to the door of a “predetermined location” to meet the youth.

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