Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A University of Missouri spokesman told ABC 17 News that its Columbia campus on Thursday had received a threat that was deemed to be “not credible.”

Spokesman Christopher Ave wrote in an email to ABC 17 News that MU’s police department “received a forwarded call reporting a potential threat to campus. The department quickly determined the threat was not credible.”

No evacuation was required based on the location, Ave said, though he did not disclose where the threat to campus was made. He was also not able to disclose when the threat came in.

“The matter remains under investigation, and no additional information can be released at this time, as it could interfere with the investigation,” Ave wrote.

Another part of Columbia experienced a threat on Thursday. The Conley Road Walmart was evacuated after a bomb threat was made.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman has pleaded guilty to third-degree domestic assault in her husband’s 2024 poisoning in Cole County.

Sara Scheffer pleaded guilty on April 13. The plea became public on Thursday. She will be sentenced at 2:30 p.m. Monday, May 11. She was originally charged with attempted murder.

Scheffer is accused of trying to poison her husband with substances she put in his food, court documents in previous reporting say.

She was allegedly caught on camera grabbing a substance out of a bag called labeled “lily of the valley” and adding it to his smoothies. Lily of the valley is a poisonous plant.

Scheffer was a part-time design and art teacher at Calvary Lutheran High School in Cole County, previous reporting shows.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman has been charged after she allegedly pulled a gun out on someone on April 10 outside the McDonald’s on Missouri Boulevard in Jefferson City.

Tameka Whitfield, of Jefferson City, was charged on Wednesday with unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and second-degree assault. She was not in custody on Thursday afternoon and court documents claim she was last seen on Flock cameras in the St. Louis area.

The probable cause statement says the victim go into an argument with a co-worker about orders taking too long to be fulfilled. The victim allegedly then went into his vehicle, got food from the drive-thru and parked in front of the building, the statement says.

Whitfield then allegedly walked up to the vehicle, pulled out a gun and said, “Don’t talk to my son like that,” court documents say.

The victim went down the road to meet with police, the statement indicates. He eventually identified Whitfield from a photo lineup, the statement says.

Police wrote that Whitfield was also seen on video “going into her vehicle and running toward the Victim’s vehicle and pointing an object at the Victim.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Cole County has sued a company over a July 24, 2023, diesel fuel spill that occurred in a creek near a farm south of Jefferson City.

The county is accusing Neumayer Equipment Company, from St. Louis, of breach of contract and negligence.

The lawsuit claims that the county hired Neumayer to install a fuel system in the 5000 block of Monticello Road and that it was required to “install certain items at the fuel island in accordance with sound workmanship and industry standards” and to test the system.

The system was installed on July 21, 2023, and a fuel spill occurred three days later, where more than 1,000 gallons of fuel polluted the Moreau River and surrounding areas, according to lawsuit. Previous reporting indicates fuel was seen in a creek.

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.”

The lawsuit accuses Neumayer failing to “properly tighten, affix or connect a hose fitting on the newly installed fuel line” and not properly testing the system.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Former Fulton Assistant Fire Chief Todd Gray has accused the City of Fulton of age discrimination in a lawsuit that was filed on Wednesday in Callaway County.

Court documents say that Gray was first a volunteer firefighter for eight years, beginning in 1994, before being hired full-time as a firefighter in April 2002. He was promoted over time eventually became the assistant chief and served as the union president.

The lawsuit claims Gray was fired two years before being able to receive full retirement benefits.

The petition also claims that issues arose when in 2024 when younger firefighters refused to wear their personal protection equipment while responding to calls, which is an apartment violation of the fire department’s standard operating guidelines.

The lawsuit also claims Chief Russell Sing was also violating the policy by not wearing PPE.

“Chief Sing responded that he, as the office in charge of the scene, was not going to wear the PPE,” the lawsuit claims.

Gray was eventually fired after bringing concerns to his office’s attention, the lawsuit alleges.

Court documents say younger firefighters started referring to Gray as “old-timer” and “old man” while he was still working there. He was then allegedly reprimanded after an anonymous survey was done and Gray alleges he was not given an opportunity to respond to any allegations made against him by younger firefighters.

The lawsuit also claims younger firefighters had interfered with “murder investigations” and routinely made racist comments, but the city had used its “progressive discipline policy,” with them but not Gray before he was fired.

Gray was the oldest person in the department at 53 years old and claims the city has recently participated in age discrimination with a number of former employees in their 50s and 60s, court documents say.

The lawsuit lists the firing of Renee Taylor from her city administrator position. Taylor was in her mid-60s at the time of her termination. It also claims former parks and recreation director Clay Caswell was forced to resign while he was in his 50s and that the head of the city’s engineering department was also forced to resign in his mid-50s.

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Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Employees went back inside the Conley Road Walmart on Thursday afternoon after spending close to two hours outside after an apparent threat was made.

The Columbia Police Department responded to a reported bomb threat at a Walmart shortly after 1 p.m., prompting a full evacuation of the store and surrounding property.

Police taped off the whole Walmart property from the public early Thursday afternoon. According to police, officers conducted a search of the building with the assistance of a K-9 unit. Nothing suspicious was found, and the store was cleared to reopen around 3:30 p.m.

Customers told ABC 17 News that customers inside the store at the time said they were shopping when an announcement came over the intercom warning of a bomb threat and instructing everyone to evacuate immediately.

Witnesses described the evacuation as calm and orderly.

Employees told ABC 17 they were told to stay on site. Even workers who weren’t scheduled to start until later still had to come in. One employee said they were told to show up in uniform and meet at a designated area outside.

As the situation stretched on, some customers arrived at the store were unaware of the closure. One shopper Miguel Rodriguez said they came to run errands, only to find the store shut down when he arrived.

The Columbia Police Department wrote in a Thursday evening social media post that initial information “indicated pipe bombs had been planted inside of a business.” A K-9 unit and bomb technicians searched the building and no explosives were found, police wrote.

On top of Thursday’s threat Columbia Police Lt. Steven Kaneaster said the there have been numerous bomb threats reported across the country that could be connected to Thursday’s incident.

“I was also notified of recent threats like this with other Walmart locations in other states in the country. Again, I don’t know the scope of that or necessarily the full time frame. But it sounds like it might be relevant to what we’re looking into here,”

Lt. Kaneaster added there was a separate bomb threat reported on university property that campus police responded to.

According to university spokesman Christopher Ave, MUPD received a forwarded call reporting a potential threat to campus.

“The department quickly determined the threat was not credible.” Ave said in an email. “Based on the location involved, no evacuation was required. The matter remains under investigation, and no additional information can be released at this time, as it could interfere with the investigation.”

The Columbia Police Department later posted on social media that its officers were responding to a “threat” in the 400 block of Conley Road.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw Walmart employees in the Firestone Tire store on Conley Road while police investigated. At least 50 people were seen in the parking.

According to Lt. Kaneaster, at least 20 officers were on the scene, along with personnel from the Ashland Police Department and Boone Health.

ABC 17 News is working to learn more information. Please check back for updates.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Holts Summit woman has been found guilty of felony murder in the 2025 shooting death of 37-year-old Kara Dills.

Heather Smith, 38, was found guilty by a jury on Thursday of second-degree murder, known as felony murder. The jury also turned in a guilty verdict for three counts of unlawful use of a weapon and a count of armed criminal action. She will be sentenced 9 a.m. Friday.

Prosecutors began their closing arguments around 4:30 p.m. in trial against Heather Smith. Each side will get an hour to deliver their remarks to the jury before the 12-person panel considers a verdict. The trial is in its fourth day at the Boone County Courthouse.

Smith took the stand in her own defense Wednesday. She is charged with second-degree murder, child endangerment, armed criminal action and three counts of unlawful use of a weapon. Smith is accused of shooting and killing 37-year-old Kara Dills at Hunter Lane Apartments in April 2025.

Thursday, Smith’s attorney Edward Luby argued his client shot Dills out of self-defense. During his closing statements, he emphasised Smith’s injuries leading up to the shooting and showed video and evidence.

The state’s attorney, Sandra Colhour, asked the jury to consider witness consistencies.

“Some of those defense witnesses had notably fluctuating stories,” Colhour said. “In fact, some of them told entirely new stories.”

The 38-year-old suspect took the stand Wednesday, arguing her actions were taken in self-defense.

Smith allegedly shot Dills after their children got into an altercation while riding bikes in the apartment complex. Allegedly, Smith confronted Dills twice before the shooting, with Dills’ sister allegedly confronting Smith in between.

Several witnesses alleged on Tuesday that Smith flashed a gun tucked into her waistband at Dills’ mother during one of the confrontations.

On the day of the shooting, Dills allegedly pistol-whipped Smith and walked away. When the gun struck Smith, it went off and grazed a bystander’s head. Smith then allegedly fired a shot into Dills’ stomach, ultimately killing her.

Dills’ boyfriend, Aireon Terrill, and her sister and nephew were present during the main confrontation before the shooting. Dills’ nephew allegedly tried to disarm Smith but wasn’t able to.

Smith alleged Dills shoved her during the argument as well. Smith said she pointed her gun at Dills’ boyfriend because she felt threatened. Video surveillance shows Smith threatening witnesses with a pistol.

Some of Dills’ family members agreed that Dills shoved Smith, but they also argue that Smith pointed the gun at other people.

Terrill said he was trying to deescalate the situation.

The case was moved from Callaway County to Boone County for the trial.

Check back for updates.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

ASHLAND, Mo. (KMIZ)

Gov. Mike Kehoe was in Ashland for the Southern Boone Economic Development Council’s Leader Breakfast Thursday morning.

Several speakers from Boone County, Ashland and REDI gave updates from across the region. Kehoe was the keynote speaker in Thursday’s event. He discussed multiple points regarding economic development and the measures to eliminate the income tax and allow new sales taxes to appear before voters on the August or November ballot.

The Missouri House on Tuesday approved the measure with a 95-59 vote. The Senate passed the measure last week, known as House Joint Resolutions 173 and 174.

Supporters say eliminating the income tax will put more money back in Missourians pockets so they can decide how they want to spend it. Critics, however, have said the change would shift more of the state’s tax burden to poor and middle-class residents.

Kehoe told ABC 17 News that they have seen states without income tax have more economic growth and he wants Missouri to be competitive with other states.

When asked about how he can ease the mind of people worried about an increase in everyday cost, such as groceries, he says there is a lot of misinformation out there. “Every income level we’ve looked at, the amount of money Missourians will keep in their pocket because of their income tax is more than double any potential widening of the sales tax code,” said Kehoe. “So, it’s a little bit of misinformation is certainly something to be concerned about.”

Kehoe says that Missourians will come out ahead at every income level on this tax proposal.

The decision on whether this tax proposal passes is up to voters, and Kehoe has not yet decided whether the proposal will be on the August or the November ballot.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Boone County Fire Protection District has announced Jake Heller will become the new bureau director of special operations and program manager of Missouri Task Force 1.

BCFPD made the announcement in a Tuesday social media post.

The post says Heller served with the Union Fire District for 16 years and has 14 years of experience with Task Force 1.

He eventually started working for BCPFD as a training division and division manager.

“In that role, he was instrumental in advancing the training and readiness of task force members, supporting operational excellence at both the state and national level,” the post says.  

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Ryan Shiner

Editor’s note: Updated court documents identify the dog rescue as the nonprofit where Stafford worked.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman has been charged with a felony after she was accused of stealing money from a Jefferson City animal rescue.

Stacy Stafford was charged on Monday in Cole County with stealing more than $750. A criminal summons was issued for her and a hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 19 at the Cole County Circuit Court.

The probable cause statement says the vice president of a nonprofit told police on Nov. 2, 2025, that the former CEO of the organization – identified as Stafford – “used organizational funds to pay for thousands of dollars in unauthorized personal expenses.” People Helping Paws Dog Rescue was a nonprofit identified in the complaint.

The statement says the vice president had told police that Stafford was relieved from her position and the organization received a notice from a vendor about an outstanding debt.

Police wrote that bank records showed that Stafford spent $3,932.72 of the organization’s money between June 8, 2023-Oct. 18, 2024. Other purchases were allegedly fraudulent, but police were either unable to verify them and some were “outside the statute of limitations,” the statement says.

Police spoke with Stafford over the phone on Feb. 19 and she was “unable to identify any other individuals with such access” to the bank account.

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