Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The man who pleaded guilty last month to multiple felonies in the 2022 Columbia prowler case was sentenced on Monday afternoon.

Guillermo Vasquez Hernandez, 35, of Columbia, pleaded guilty on Feb. 6 to two counts of first-degree burglary and two counts forgery. He received a 10-year prison sentence and will be given credit for time served.

His lawyer argued for the minimum sentence of 5 years. The defense said Vasquez had no prior felonies and that keeping him in a Missouri prison would be a burden to taxpayers, as Vasquez is in the country illegally.

On a search of his home is Oct. 2024, officers found a fake social security card and a green card with Vasquez’s picture on it, but a different name.

He was previously charged with two counts of first-degree burglary, one count of second-degree burglary, two counts of forgery and a count of misdemeanor stealing. He is being held at the Boone County Jail. Jail records also indicate he is being held on an immigration detainer. He will be deported back to Mexico following the completion of his sentence.

According to court documents in previous reporting, Vasquez’s fingerprints have been connected to at least three cases of a man violating the privacy of multiple women.

One of his victims addressed the court today detailing the ways her life has changed due to Vasquez. Kelly Cook said she was taking a bath in her apartment on Aug. 9, 2022 when she made eye contact with Vasquez as he was walking down her hallway. She chased him out of her apartment through the window that he broke in through.

“Every small noise makes my heart race. I double check locks, sometimes 3 or 4 times and I still find myself lying awake with a pocket knife in my hand underneath my pillow wondering if that was enough to keep me safe,” Cook said.

Columbia police released the first statement asking for the community’s help in identifying a suspected prowler on Nov. 8, 2022. The victim’s ages ranged from 20-30 years old. Many of the incidents happened in south Columbia, with many occurring at apartments off of South Old 63.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman who was arrested on Friday after having a high-speed chase with law enforcement in the wrong lane of Highway 63 was charged on Monday.

Emily Berry, 48, of Columbia, was charged with aggravated fleeing and misdemeanor driving while revoked. A court appearance was held on Monday and she is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond.

She is accused of driving away from a traffic stop in Ashland after an officer said she had warrants for her arrest, court documents say. She drove northbound in the southbound lanes of Highway 63 and drove to Columbia at 105 miles per hour, the statement says.

Traffic began to slow down once she reached Columbia and law enforcement used spikes to try to stop her, the statement says. She eventually stopped when she was boxed in by a semi-truck, the statement says.  

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man is accused of putting another man in the emergency room after he allegedly assaulted him with a candle holder on March 25.

James Couch, 32, was charged on Monday with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An initial court appearance was held on Monday.

The probable cause statement says the victim’s ear “was nearly cut in half” and that he had “deep gouges” on his face when police saw him on Wednesday at University Hospital. The officer also noted other cuts on the victim’s body in the probable cause statement.

The victim claimed Couch attacked him from behind while he was at a residence on Highview Avenue, the statement says. The victim claimed it was “out of character for Couch, but there were drugs involved including Adderall, meth, marijuana and Xanax,” court documents say.

Police at the Highview Avenue residence found a pool of blood in the home and on the walls, as well as in the passenger seat of a vehicle, the statement says. Two people described seeing the attack, which allegedly involved a candle holder.

One of the witnesses allegedly told police that Couch told them he needed to go to a hospital “or he may kill somebody,” the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two 13-year-old boys were accused of making threats against Camdenton Middle School, according to a Monday press release from the Camdenton Police Department.

CPD wrote that it received information at 8:15 p.m. Sunday about threats shared to a social media website “of an individual threatening to shoot up Camdenton Middle School.”

The name of the website was not identified by police, but the department wrote it was assisted by the website and the FBI during the investigation.

Police wrote that it identified two Camdenton Middle School students “as being responsible for the posting of the threats on social media.” The names of the boys were not released.

Police contacted the parents to do interviews with the boys and one of them allegedly admitted to posting the threats, but “both stated they had no intent to follow through,” the release says.

The release says charges were referred to the Camden County Juvenile Justice Center.

ABC 17 News reached out to the Camdenton School District on Monday morning.

Check back for updates.  

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man accused in the armed robbery of the Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville last week will appear in court on Tuesday.

Benjamin Michael-Dass Charles, 21, of Columbia, is charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the Cooper County Jail on a $1.3 million bond. His arraignment is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Cooper County Courthouse.

Hollis Vanleer Jr. 20, of Normal, Illinois, is still at-large. He was charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and first-degree assault. The Missouri State Highway Patrol wrote in a Friday press release that Vanleer “should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone who encounters Vanleer should immediately call 911 and not approach him.”

Court documents claim Charles and Vanleer took $1.28 million from the casino on Wednesday, March 25. A patron allegedly tackled one of the masked men, but the pair got away after one of the men hit the patron, court documents in previous reporting say.

The pair drove a 1998 Ford Taurus to Howard County and abandoned it before getting into a second vehicle, previous reporting indicates. Charles was identified from information found on a receipt in the Ford, court documents say.

The Missouri Gaming Commission on Thursday, March 26, identified Charles as a casino employee while he was on duty, court documents say. The money taken from the robbery has still not been located.

Charles allegedly told officials that the robbery had been planned for a month and that he bought homemade explosives from someone to use as a distraction, court documents say.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Deuce Pub and Pit is the first bar in Columbia to be approved for extended hours during the World Cup.

The Deuce so far is the only bar to apply for the extended hours, according to an email from Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau Megan McConachie.

A Missouri law would allow for bars to serve alcohol for 23 hours a day during the period when the World Cup is occurring this summer. However, Columbia opted to just extend bar hours by one hour on select dates when World Cup games are scheduled late.

Businesses may apply to make their closing times for 2:30 a.m. on:

June 14

June 17

June 20

June 21

June 23

June 27

July 3

The application fees to participate are $100.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Moberly man was charged last week following the accidental shooting death of an 11-year-old girl in January.

Michael Timmons is charged with five counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk. The probable cause statement states that he was in another state at the time of the shooting.

Deputies reported finding unsanitary conditions throughout the home where the five children were living.

Court documents state that the children reported to deputies that Timmons was only home for a couple of weeks or months at a time. It added that the home would be in the same condition as when he was home. He would only clean the kitchen table when he used it.

Deputies found piles of trash, feces and dirty dishes throughout the home. The home was also infested with cockroaches, according to the probable cause statement.

His wife, Jo Timmons, was charged in February with five counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, including one resulting in a child’s death.

Ammunition was found in the drawer of a dresser in a room that deputies said belonged to Michael Timmons and a redacted name. A probable cause statement for Jo Timmons states that this was the bedroom she shared with her husband, also redacted.

A cockroach-infested shotgun was also found on the wall of a hallway, the deputy wrote. Interviewers with witnesses also claimed a handgun found in another bedroom was “not always kept secure,” court documents say.

Deputies said a witness reported the conditions of the house in January were consistent with conditions while living with the couple from August to the end of December.

As of Monday morning, Michael Timmons was not in custody at the Randolph County jail.

Jo Timmons is being held at the Randolph County Jail. A bond hearing is set for April 8.

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Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A crash between a vehicle and a motorcycle is causing delays on Interstate 70 Monday morning.

A Columbia Police Department spokesperson said they are investigating at the I-70 and Highway 63 connector.

According to the MoDOT Traveler Map, the crash was reported just before 8 a.m. and delays are expected for the next hour. The left lane of I-70 eastbound is closed.

The map showed traffic backed up for several miles on I-70.

This is a developing story.

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Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An 84-year-old Marshall man was seriously hurt after a crash in Saline County.

The Missouri State Highway report states the crash happened at the intersection of Highway 240 and Landmark Ave/Eastwood Street just before 9 p.m. Sunday.

Troopers said that the 84-year-old was driving a 2016 Ford Escape south when he crossed into the other lane and hit a 2012 Ford F250 head-on.

The 59-year-old driver of the truck went into a ditch while the Ford Escape stopped in the road at an angle.

The 84-year-old was flown to University Hospital with serious injuries. The other driver was not hurt.

The Escape was totaled. The truck had moderate damage.

The report states the 59-year-old was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. It is unknown if the 84-year-old was wearing a seatbelt.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

STURGEON, Mo. (KMIZ)

Residents of a care facility in the 300 block of East Stone Street in Sturgeon were relocated to other facilities after a fire swept through the building on Monday.

Just before 5 a.m., Boone County Joint Communication issued a notification that E. Stone St. is closed due to a fire incident. The road reopened just before 9:30 a.m.

Boone County Fire Protection District Chief Doug Westoff told ABC 17 News at the scene that crews responded to an automatic alarm at 4:37 a.m. at the Sturgeon Residential Care Facility. A staff member found a fire on the porch outside the nursing home and attempted to put the fire out before it spread to the attic. Residents in the facility were able to evacuate; there were no reported injuries.

“The resident portion of this facility is still in good shape, this is really isolated to a pantry, kitchen, office area for the most part,” Westhoff said.

Sturgeon Residential Care Facility Owner Randy Burke said 19 residents and two staff members were inside at the start of the fire when they were alerted by the building’s fire alarms.

Residents were temporarily moved to facilities across Boone, Randolph and Monroe Counties.

Staff were able to evacuate the building in around 4 minutes.

Fire crews on scene got the flames under control just after 7 a.m. The building had several void spaces, making it a challenge to extinguish the fire, according to Westhoff.

“It was in such tight spaces in different rooflines and stuff like that, and the building’s been added on to five or six times,” said Westhoff.

Westhoff says there were about 30 firefighters on scene.

When ABC 17 News crews arrived on scene, they saw at least seven Boone County Fire trucks along with a ladder truck from the Columbia Fire Department. Firefighters were seen battling a fire at the Sturgeon Residential Care facility.

Smoke was seen billowing from the roof and the windows as firefighters used foam to get the flames under control.

According to Burke, he bought Sturgeon Residential Care Facility in 2019, completing renovations in 2023. There have been no previous fires.

Burke adds that the community has been very responsive, telling ABC 17 News he received over 40 calls Monday morning from neighbors wanting to help with recovery.

No timeline has been set for reopening, with repairs expected to take some time.

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