Author: KMIZ

Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man found not guilty of murder by a jury was sentenced to 10 years with credit for time served Tuesday morning at the Boone County Courthouse for another charge after his involvement in a deadly shooting at a Columbia club in 2023.

Kimo Spivey was sentenced for illegal gun possession in connection with the deadly shooting at Plush Lounge in May 2023 that killed Melvin Hooker III.

The 10-year sentence was the sentencing recommendation made by the state. The state argued Spivey’s previous convictions — including assault and driving with a suspended license — show a level of danger and that he is reckless.

“In his life he’s had exactly 10 misdemeanor convictions and four felony convictions,” said Tony Gonzalez, assistant Boone County prosecuting attorney

Spivey’s lawyer requested a seven-year sentence plus time served. He argued Spivey acknowledges the part he played in the May 2023 shooting and knows he had to face a punishment for it.

“Anytime he picks up a gun, he is in the wrong. He knows that his relationship with firearms is over and he’s been reflecting on that for 854 days. He’s also been reflecting on Mr. Hooker for 854 days,” Joe Flees, Spivey’s lawyer, said.

Flees said they hoped for a better outcome Tuesday, but they came prepared .

“We kind of thought that this was going to go, with the higher end. He just hopes to move past this at the end of the day and hopes everybody that’s involved can can move forward,” Flees said.

In June, the jury deliberated for about six hours and found Spivey not guilty of first-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. However, the jury did find him guilty of unlawful possession of a weapon because he is a felon.

Spivey was a manager at Plush Lounge at the time of the shooting and was told of a disturbance involving guns in the parking lot. According to witness statements during the trial, Hooker was hitting his girlfriend when security stepped in, causing a fight.

In Spivey’s testimony, he told the jury that he went outside and saw Hooker reach into his car for a gun and eventually pointed it towards him. Spivey said he shot back because he feared for his life.

Surveillance video showed Spivey retreating after the shooting to receive care because he had been shot. Spivey’s defense reminded jurors that many of the witnesses who took the stand throughout the trial were not able to identify who fired the deadly shot that killed Hooker.

Columbia man Samuel Moss Jr. pleaded guilty in April 2024 to unlawful use of a weapon and was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement. Justin Lamar Simpson, 42, was charged with second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of armed criminal action and illegal gun possession. He is not in police custody.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Board of Education on Monday evening approved the calendar for next school year.

The first day of the 2026-27 school year will be Tuesday, Aug. 25. Winter break for students begins on Dec. 23, 2026, and students would return to class on Jan. 5, 2027, the calendar shows.

Spring break begins on March 29 and students return to class on April 5, the calendar shows. The tentative last day of school is scheduled for May 27, 2027.

Douglass High School and Rock Bridge High School will have its graduations scheduled for May 21, 2027, while Hickman and Battle high schools will have its graduations on May 22, 2027. The summer session is scheduled to begin June 3, 2027.

The board also approved a contract to install security film “on an as-needed basis throughout the District” with Iron Badger Defense in Jefferson City. The contract runs through June 30, 2026.

Columbia 2026-27Download

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

SEC Network is in Columbia ahead of one of the most highly anticipated Mizzou football games of the season in a renewed rivalry against the University of Kansas on Saturday.

SEC Network will air a total of three shows in Traditions Plaza on the University of Missouri’s quad between Friday and Saturday. The Paul Finebaum Show will kick things off on Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Marty and McGee will be live on Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., followed by SEC Nation from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Laura Rutledge will host SEC Nation, and she will be joined by Paul Finebaum, Roman Harper, Jordan Rodgers and Tim Tebow.

If you want to stand in the pit area close to the stage, it is on a first-come, first-served basis for all fans. Students in the pit area are encouraged to wear school colors and gear.

If fans would like to go to the quad to watch during the SEC Nation shows, there are a few items that will not be allowed:

Bags of any kind

Food or drinks

Pens, pencils, markers or dry-erase boards

Throwing objects

If you plan to bring a sign on a stick, it will be inspected before you enter and must abide by ESPN’s sign policy. For those with signs, vulgar language, websites, political or religious signs will not be allowed.

Ahead of the start of the 2025 football season, the University of Missouri reminds people that students and fans will ‘no longer be rushing the field’ after big victories at Faurot Field.

“We’re not going to storm the field,” says University President Mun Choi. “Beating Kansas should not be a big deal. Now they’re a good team or a much better team. And, we’re not just going to beat them. We’re going to crush them, but we’re going to treat their fans with respect. And there’s no storming the field. We don’t want to give money to Kansas, and we have to keep that in mind.”

In a letter sent to students before the game against Central Arkansas, he warned that the university will be fined $500,00 and that money goes directly to the opponent.

 Perpetrators will be held to account. They may be trespassed from campus, fined, suspended or expelled. 

Kick-off against Kansas will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Faurot Field on ESPN.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was previously charged with murder in an overdose death from December 2021 is no longer facing felony charges.

Boone County prosecutors dismissed the case against Nicholas Gratwohl on Aug. 26 “because of developments in the evidence,” according to an email from Prosecutor Roger Johnson. Gratwohl was originally charged with second-degree murder and drug distribution.

Cases are still pending for Jeanne Hovis and Jonathan Shelley. Both were originally charged with second-degree murder and drug distribution. Hovis had her murder charge dropped, but is still facing the drug charge and has a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 15.

Court documents in previous reporting say Shelley was with the overdose victim, whom police found lying unresponsive in a bathtub. Another statement says Hovis arranged the purchase of crack cocaine and fentanyl, which was delivered by Grathwohl, the night of the overdose.

Nathaniel Cross was also charged in the case, but has since died, Johnson wrote.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMIBA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Fans heading east of Columbia after Saturday’s football game should be prepared for traffic.

The Missouri Department of Transportation wrote in a Friday morning press release that eastbound traffic will be reduced to one lane in a portion of Callaway County. The release says the lane reduction will occur between the Route M exit and the exit at Highway 54 in Kingdom City.

The lane reduction will begin at 8 p.m. that night.

Kickoff for Mizzou’s game against the Kansas Jayhawks is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Faurot Field.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

No injuries were reported after a fire was reported Friday in the basement of a Moberly home in the 800 block of South Williams Street.

A social media post from the Moberly Fire Department says firefighters were called at 9:49 a.m. and arrived a minute later. They found a fire in the basement involving a dryer with smoke and flames showing, the post says.

“Approximately 8 firefighters responded and worked quickly to bring the fire under control despite the heavy smoke conditions. Crews were able to contain most of the damage to the laundry room located in the basement area, preventing the fire from spreading to the rest of the home,” the post says.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An 18-year-old soldier from California died during training on a rifle range at Fort Leonard Wood on Friday.

The soldier was assigned to the First Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment. The death was pronounced at 10:33 a.m. on site by Gen. Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital staff, Fort Leonard Wood officials wrote in a Facebook post.

No one else was hurt.

The Army is waiting to release the victim’s identity pending notification of next of kin.

The soldier’s death is under investigation by Leonard Wood police and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the post says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The last ride for the Central Missouri Honor Flight will occur Monday, Sept. 15, according to a Friday press release from the group.

The release says roughly 5,600 veterans have been flown to Washington D.C. since May 2009. A reason for the flights stopping was not described in the release. CMHF’s 71st group will leave Columbia at 1:45 a.m. Sept. 15 and return at 9:30 p.m. the same day at the Columbia Mariott Courtyard.   

The Central Missouri Honor Flight Riders escort the buses once they arrive to Kingdom City from St. Louis.

“For the final Central Missouri Honor Flight, join us in letting the veterans on board know their service is not forgotten. Just as our goal was sixteen years ago for our first honor flight, it remains the mission that each veteran comes away with new-found respect and remembrance that they are thanked and applauded for their service to our country. An honor flight has never been about the travel. It has always been about the journey,” the release says.

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ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri high school football kicked off Week 2 of the 2025 season on Friday.

Scores from Mid-Missouri teams are posted below.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

The City of Columbia’s Chamber of Commerce claims the area has a lot of jobs to fill, despite job growth stalling nationally.

The jobs report released on Friday indicates 22,000 jobs were added to the economy last month and the unemployment rate rose from 4.2% to 4.3%.

There are about 7.4 million people in the unemployment pool across the nation, according to the jobs report. 

Missouri comes in just under the federal unemployment rate at 4.1%, according to the Missouri July jobs report. Columbia’s unemployment rate for June is higher than the state employment rates at 4.23%, which is nearly an eight percentage point increase, according to the city’s August economic report. 

While unemployment rates increase around the country, Columbia has a larger number of openings, according to the Columbia Chamber of Commerce President Matt McCormick. 

McCormick claims there are not enough people who fit the job descriptions for the available opportunities in career paths such as health care. McCormick said the chamber’s division of workforce development is working on a way to close the gap. 

The key is retaining students who graduate from local high schools and higher education, McCormick said.  Another important aspect of filling more jobs in Columbia is recruitment, McCormick said.

“We’re taking a look at maybe people that have some sort of connection back to Columbia. They went to school here, and then maybe they left after they finished going to college here,” McCormick said.

The next step would be to explain what living and working in Columbia would be like.

“So really taking a look at what are those efforts and programs that we can work in those areas,” McCormick said.

The people who don’t think college is for them, have the option to go to a trade school, like Job Point.

“We have seen more and more people moving towards the trades programs because within 12-16 weeks, you can be certified, you can be employed, and you could be making great money,” said John Scalise, Job Point CEO. “Oftentimes people are just more interested in that than taking four years to get to where they want to be.”

Job point helps people get into jobs that are in high demand, like trucking or construction. 

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