Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The leader of a “cult-like” Amish community who was charged with several felonies, including manslaughter and sex crimes, was indicted by a Cooper County grand jury on Friday.

Sam Shetler, 42, of Boonville, is charged with three counts of trafficking for the purpose of slavery, a count of first-degree sodomy, first-degree sex abuse, four counts of kidnapping and one count of first-degree involuntary manslaughter. 

He is being held at the Cooper County Jail without bond. An arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, May 11.

Shelter is accused of forcing teenagers work at the t the Mercy and Truth-Amish and Mennonite Retreat without pay and rubbing oils on young females to “heal” them, court documents in previous reporting indicate.

Following his March arrest, more victims came forward and accused Shetler of posing as a doctor that gave a “lavender breathing treatment” to a baby who suffered from multiple viruses in 2025, including COVID-19, court documents in previous reporting say. The baby had died on March 6, 2025.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman accused of stabbing another woman early Friday has been arrested and charged.

Nakia Bonaparte, 27, of Columbia, was charged on Friday afternoon in Boone County with second-degree assault and armed criminal action. She is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says multiple witnesses and the victim claimed Bonaparte stabbed a woman near the intersection of Claudell Lane and Worley Street after a fight occurred. Police wrote that the victim had cuts seen to her chest and arm.

Both witnesses allegedly saw Bonaparte then run to a vehicle the victim sat in after the stabbing and saw Bonaparte stab the tires of the vehicle before she left, court documents say.

Bonaparte allegedly told police that she went to Claudell Lane to fight one of the witnesses, but the victim had joined in, court documents allege. Bonaparte told police she pulled out the knife and swung it in self-defense, court documents say.

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Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

P.E.A.C.E and H.O.P.E held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday for its new Teen Center.

The new center is located at 203 N. Providence Road in Columbia and aims to help at-risk youth. The nonprofits created the space to offer access to mentorship, educational support, life skills development, and programming focused on personal growth and leadership.

The center offers games, food, learning and activities areas and more.

Destiny of Hope Director Lonnie Lockhart Bey started his “boots on the ground” approach of helping at-risk youth in 2021.

Two years later the group received $320,000 in ARPA funding from the $25.5 million the City of Columbia received, with a agreement with the city that ends in 2027, according to previous reporting.

He says it has been a journey getting to the grand opening of the center.

“Ups and downs just trying to figure out how to put things in perspective,” Lockhart Bey said, “When you come out of prison after doing 26 years, it’s not much trust on the parts of those who are in positions to be able to help you to the next level.”

Lockhart Bey says Monday’s grand opening is about “breaking the cycle” with youth.

“We got to break that cycle of poverty mentally and emotionally, because with poverty comes trouble because now there’s anger there’s all these other things that’s occurring within this one body and combustion can simply be I’m going to do what I got to do,” he said.

In total the organization received $428,333.33 through the city ARPA funds and spent $335,057.29 as of January.

Lockhart Bey said the center also received grants from Boone County and donors and the center is on track to spend the amount given by the end of year. He said to run the center it will cost about $300,000 annually.

Community violence was one of five priorities for the city to address using American Rescue Plan Act funding. Other priorities included homelessness, behavioral crisis care, mental health services and workforce development.

The grand opening comes at a time where the Missouri State Highway Patrol reports crime among youth is down.

In 2025, MSHP reported gun crimes involving youth 10-17 years old was 33, which marks a drop compared to 2024 71 gun crimes involving youth was reported.

MSHP also reported there were 32 victims between 10-17 years old last year, while in 2024 there were 70 victims.

Lockhart Bey said there are several factors that are the driving force in youth violence.

“It’s hard to pinpoint one thing. There are a lot of factors and for me what I’ve come to understand that every child I talk to that’s up in age whether they are affiliated, whether they’re just out in the street trying to get money, everybody chasing the bag,” Lockhart Bey said. “So socieconomic, impoverishment is a key factor in why crime is so prevalent,”

The center will be open daily from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Those looking to become a part of the program can apply online.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Police had to use a stun gun on man who allegedly pointed a gun at someone on Saturday during a road-rage incident in Jefferson City, court documents say.

Robert Wallace, 44, of Jefferson City, is charged in Cole County with unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond.

An arraignment was held on Monday and Wallace appeared by video from the jail, where he pleaded not guilty. He intends to apply for a public defender, according to court filings. A counsel status hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday.

The probable cause statement says the victim told police that Wallace cut him off while driving. The two allegedly parked their vehicles in the middle of the road and started arguing with each other outside of their vehicles, the statement says. The victim allegedly started leaving and Wallace followed him before pulling up alongside him and pointing a gun at the victim, the statement says.

Police eventually found Wallace in Cole County and claimed he resisted arrest. Law enforcement used a Taser to subdue and detain the man, court documents allege.

Wallace allegedly told police that the victim drove “erratically” and threatened him, but changed his story when law enforcement told him they had video of the interaction, court documents say. He allegedly told police that he did not pulled a gun and was reaching for his dog, court documents say.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An arrest was made in connection with a stabbing that occurred Monday in the 4500 block of Rice Road.

The Columbia Police Department wrote in a Monday afternoon social media post that it arrested Dariell Deshell Smith, 33, of Columbia, on suspicion of first-degree domestic assault and armed criminal action.

Smith was not listed on the Boone County Jail roster on Monday afternoon and charges were not yet listed on Casenet.

Police were called around 2:40 a.m. Monday and found the victim with minor injuries. They were brought to Boone Hospital and are stable, the social media post says.

An ABC 17 News videographer at the scene saw around 10 Columbia Police Department officers investigating near a home, previous reporting indicates.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

The Columbia City Council voted 4-3 on Monday night to table a decision that would have put a proposed 1% sales tax dedicated to public safety on the August ballot.

City staff has written an ordinance that would add a 1% general sales tax, with the revenue generated going solely to the Columbia Police Department and Columbia Fire Department. 

The goal of the ordinance is to help both departments increase staffing, cover facility upgrades, and buy new equipment. Specific priorities listed by the city under the proposed sales tax include: 

Increase CPD staffing to 50 officers over four years

Increase CFD staffing to 40 firefighters over four years

Build a new Police Facility

Purchase new police vehicles and equipment 

Build two new fire stations with apparatus 

Renovate three current fire stations

Develop a police and fire technology plan

Maintain competitive wages 

According to Monday’s council memo, the city estimates that the 1% sales and use tax dedicated to public safety will produce $38 million in revenue.  However, the ordinance needs voter approval during the 2026 August primary elections in order to go into effect. 

The city council must approve the ordinance as written during it’s march 18th meeting in order to get in on the August ballot. If the City Council approves the ordinance as written, this question would appear on the ballot: 

“Shall the municipality of Columbia, Missouri impose an additional citywide sales tax at a rate of one percent, solely for the purpose of providing revenues to improve public safety for the city, which shall be limited to expenditures on equipment, salaries and benefits, and facilities for police and fire departments?”

The current sales tax rate for Columbia sits at nearly 8% (7.975%), with 4.2% coming from the state, 2% from the city, and 1.75% from Boone County. The 2% from the City of Columbia currently includes a 1% general sales tax, 0.5% transportation sales tax, 0.25% capital improvement sales tax and 0.25% park sales tax.

Boone County sheriff seeks similar ballot issue

A Monday press release from the Boone County auditor shows that Sheriff Dwayne Carey has also asked the Boone County Commission to consider putting a law enforcement sales tax increase on the August 2026 ballot.

“Dedicated sales tax revenue no longer keeps pace with the broader cost of public safety services across county government,” Auditor Kyle Rieman said. “Those pressures include the sheriff’s office, jail operations, the rising cost of housing inmates outside Boone County, juvenile services, prosecuting attorney, circuit courts and other related expenses — and the same squeeze is showing up in nearly every other county cost center.”

Boone County currently collects a 1/8-cent sales tax for law enforcement that brought in $5.76M in revenue in 2025, according to the release from the auditor.

The auditor’s release also acknowledges possible tax cuts, specifically to income tax by the state that could be placed on ballot as early as August.

“Rieman said that proposal is best understood not as a tax cut but as a tax shift, replacing a tax based on income with higher sales taxes everyone pays at the register,” the release says. “Rieman is asking city and county leadership to coordinate on timing, ballot language and the total cumulative burden on taxpayers, ideally placing any to take a coordinated approach to work together to consider responsible timing, ballot language, public messaging and the total burden on taxpayers.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Someone has sued the University of Missouri after they fell through a grate on campus in 2024 when they were a student.

The attorney for Madison Hankle filed a petition on Monday in Boone County that is suing MU for damages. The university is listed as a defendant along with another person, Silas Schipper Jr., who is described as a student in the lawsuit.

The petition claims Hankle was walking with friends on April 13, 2024, on the sidewalk between the Mizzou Rec Center and Stankowski Field.

Schipper had allegedly opened the grate and it was dark with no signage indicating it was open when Hankle fell through the opening and landed about 15-20 feet below the surface, court documents allege. Court documents allege it would have cost the university fewer than $50 to secure the grate.

The petition alleges Hankle suffered “permanent” injuries. MU is accused of premises liability, while Schipper is accused of negligence.

“We are aware of the claim and expect any statements we have about the matter to be presented in the course of the court proceeding,” MU spokesman Christopher Ave wrote in an email to ABC 17 News on Monday.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Florida man was sentenced to 15 years in prison Monday for shooting a man in the face at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Columbia.

Alexis Gonzalez, 38, of Orlando, was convicted in March of second-degree assault and armed criminal action in the Aug. 17, 2024, shooting of Gary Bitsicas at the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant on Nifong Boulevard in Columbia.

Prosecutors originally charged Gonzalez with first-degree assault, which has a maximum sentence of 30 years. The jury convicted him instead of the lesser offense of second-degree assault. Judge Stephanie Morrell went with the jury’s recommendation of sentencing Gonzalez to seven years for the assault charge and eight years for armed criminal action.

The sentences will be served back-to-back, for a total of 15 years.

The state argued that Gonzalez went back into a restaurant with a gun and the intention to harm Bitsicas after an argument outside over a bar tab. Gonzalez claimed he was acting in self-defense and in defense of his girlfriend. Gonzalez expressed his regret one final time on the stand as jurors considered their recommendations.

His defense lawyer said at Monday’s sentencing hearing that Gonzalez accepts his responsibility for the shooting. But the state said his argument of self-defense proved that he didn’t accept culpability for the shooting.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick announced Monday afternoon on X that service has been restored to Boone County Joint Communications services.

Lumen has restored service. BCJC should be receiving calls without issue again. https://t.co/CMGuZYFQEA

— Kip Kendrick (@Kip_Kendrick) May 4, 2026

BCJC services were disrupted early Monday after a fiber line was cut at around 3 a.m.

Fiber owner Lumen said the problem was apparently “caused by vandals” and crews were working to fix the problem, though a restoration time was not available.

The Jefferson City Police Department tells ABC 17 News they have not heard reports of the damage being found in Jefferson City.

BCJC Director Christie Davis said over email that the issue was reported as a Lumen Technology fiber cable was cut, affecting all emergency, non-emergency and outgoing calls from Joint Communications.

Davis reports that the outage occurred in Jefferson City, with JCPD lines being affected. She adds that BCJC works with JCPD during technical issues.

“During those incidents, we deploy emergency telecommunicators to their location to take the calls and coordinate with employees in our communications center for dispatching services,” Davis said. “However, this also impacted Jefferson City and several agencies and departments within Boone County. Therefore, there are limited contingency capabilities in this incident.”

During the outage, BCJC operators were notified of dropped calls and called residents back.

“If there was an incident where the call did not come in, we were making outbound calls on our supervisor’s phone to make sure that we were getting in contact with those individuals to get them the assistance that they needed,” Davis said. “There were no calls that should have went unanswered.”

Jefferson City Public Information Coordinator Molly Bryan said that 911 operations were not affected by the outage, but administrative phone lines were down.

A Public Safety Alert was issued stating that Boone County 911 was experiencing complications early Monday morning.

“We do not currently have an estimated resolution timeframe, but we were notified that a crew is on site and conducting further testing to isolate the exact point of failure to begin the repairs,” Davis stated in an email.

The Columbia Police Department asked anyone with emergencies to call 911 on Monday, even though 911 phone lines were down.

CPD spokesman Colin Imhoff said the department still wants people with emergencies to call 911 because dispatchers are tracking incoming calls and calling those people back. Anyone needing non-emergency services is encouraged to go to their local law enforcement office.

A news release from the Boone County Office of Emergency Management said the outage is also affecting some hospitals and public safety agencies. Boone Health spokesperson Christian Basi told ABC 17 News in an email that phones appeared to be working at the hospital Monday morning.

MU Health Care said on Facebook some of its clinics are experiencing “intermittent phone issues.” The hospital system said its main hospital line is not affected.

The alert was sent around 4:30 a.m. Monday. The alert states that if your first call to 911 does not work, hang up and immediately call again.

The alert also said that 311 is not working.

MUPD issued an alert at 7:27 a.m. stating it was also experiencing issues.

Davis adds that BCJC is currently updating their operating system with AT&T ESInet. The upgrade is expected to be completed in the summer and will feature a backup plan in place for fiber-optic outages.

“The previous incidents that we’ve had where we had a single point of failure between here and Jeff City,  those incidents will be less frequent if not at all,” Davis said.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council is heading into its Monday meeting with a major decision on the table following the upcoming resignation of Ward 4 Council Member Nick Foster.

Foster announced Thursday that he plans to step down this summer, citing family matters. His final day in office is set for June 12. Foster was re-elected to the position last year. He has served on the council since 2022.

“My family is moving,” Foster said. “My wife has taken a position as dean of the College of Education and Human Development at George State University in Atlanta.”

Foster said leaving Columbia was not on his mind during last year’s election, but the possibility of a move became more certain in recent months.

As he prepares to step down, Foster reflected on his years serving a city he has called home for more than a decade.

“We’re sad to leave Columbia. This is home for us,” Foster said. “We’ve lived here for 16 years and that’s the longest period of time I’ve ever lived in one place.”

Former Ward 5 Council Member Don Waterman, who worked alongside Foster for three years, said it was a pleasure to serve with him and praised his dedication to the city.

“His heart, his compassion and his thoughtfulness. You know, he always had great thoughts. Especially in council comments at the end,” Waterman said.

With Foster’s departure, the council must now determine how and when to fill the vacant seat.

According to the Municipal Code, once the position is officially vacant, council members can nominate one or more candidates during a regular or special meeting. The council will then vote and the candidate who receives a majority vote will be appointed to the role.

However, City Attorney Nancy Thompson said because more than a year remains in Foster’s term, the city is required to hold a special election rather than appoint a replacement.

City staff have prepared a potential memo and draft proposal suggesting a possible election date of August 4. However, the proposal has not yet been formally introduced or placed on the council agenda.

Don Waterman said the process needs to move quickly to meet deadlines.

“She [Mayor Barbara Buffaloe] would need to introduce it there so that they could vote on it. The second meeting in May, which is essentially their deadline for getting it on the August ballot,” Waterman said.

Council members will need to decide Monday night whether to amend the agenda to include discussion of the proposed special election.

Once scheduled, voters will elect a replacement to serve the remainder of Foster’s term, which runs through April 2028.

Foster said he hopes the next council member shares a commitment to serving the entire community.

“I hope would share some of the same ideals that I do. That is a concern for all of the city, a concern especially for those who are marginalized still on our city and who are interested in meeting the needs that those folks have,” Foster said.

Foster added he hopes to leave the city with a message of perspective and pride.

“I really hope that people in this town will remember how great a place this is to live,” Foster said. “It’s easy to recognize all the challenges that we have and you want to face those, you want to address those and I think the city is doing that.”

Foster added that he plans to stay engaged in issues he cares about, including housing, homelessness and infrastructure.

Monday’s meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Columbia City Hall.

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