Category: kmiz-local-news

Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) –

The Supreme Court of Missouri upheld a state law banning minors from receiving gender-affirming.

The high court sided with a Cole County judge’s decision to uphold the law that bans children from procedures like sex change surgeries or prescribing hormone therapy to help with gender transitions. The law went into effect in August 2023.

Those challenging the law had claimed a violation of equal protection and due process.

The Missouri Supreme Court referred to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld a similar Tennessee law last year.

The court struck down the argument that the state’s SAFE Act discriminated based on protected classes, transgender status and sex, by ruling that the act only classifies by age and medical use, accoridng to the opinion.

The court also ruled the act does not violate parents’ rights to make decisions about their children’s health care.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway celebrated the decision.

“By upholding the SAFE Act, the Missouri Supreme Court confirmed the legislature’s authority to safeguard the health and well-being of our state’s most vulnerable citizens,” Hanaway wrote in a statement.

The ACLU of Missouri, which fought against the law in court, called the decision “a harmful ban that singles out transgender Missourians.”

University of Missouri Health Care stopped providing gender-affirming care in August 2023.

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Ryan Shiner

JEFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Gov. Mike Kehoe during his State of the State address on Tuesday recognized the law enforcement officers who exchanged gunfire and killed a Ralls County homicide suspect last year.

Kehoe recognized Randolph County Sheriff’s Deputy Lt. Nathan West, Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dustin Harrison and Sgt. Derrick Powell while promoting the “Safer Missouri” initiative.

Charles Armour was accused of killing Jonathan Floyd, 55, of Perry, Missouri in Ralls County. Lois and Patty Armour were accused of hiding Charles Armour in their home before his shootout with law enforcement on Oct. 12, 2025.

The probable cause statements in the women’s cases says that law enforcement went to a residence in relation to the homicide investigation on Sunday and spoke with both women. The women allegedly claimed Charles Armour was not at the residence, court documents say.

Law enforcement was given permission to search the home and found Charles Armour in a bathroom with a handgun, the statement says. He then fired at the responding officers and hit a Randolph County deputy, the statement says.

Kehoe said in his speech that West has since returned to duty after being shot. Kehoe said Powell drove West to the Moberly Regional Air Evac Helipad so he could be flown to a hospital.

West, Powell and Harrison were given a standing ovation by lawmakers on Tuesday.

Patty and Lois Armour are both charged with felony murder in the Monroe County case, and Lois Armour faces an additional charge of hindering a felony prosecution. Both women pleaded not guilty during hearings at Monroe County last week. They have a hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man accused of killing another person is now in custody.

The Jefferson City Police Department said in a Tuesday afternoon press release that Malcolm Mayes turned himself in on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. Police were searching for Mayes after he allegedly shot and killed a person on Friday. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond.

Jeremy Greer was identified as the shooting victim to ABC 17 News on Tuesday by his sister Kathleen Greer.

Mayes was charged in Cole County with second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, one count of unlawful use of a weapon and illegal gun possession.

Court filings show that charges were filed on Saturday, but the case was sealed on Casenet because Mayes was not in custody and the prosecutor’s office felt that the investigation could have been undermined or that evidence could be destroyed in the meantime.

According to the release, police were called to the 800 block of Mulberry Street just after 4 p.m. Friday after receiving reports that someone had been shot. Witnesses on scene told police the victim, later learned to be Greer, had been shot during a fight and was taken to a hospital in a private vehicle.

Police said the 39-year-old Jefferson City resident was found at the Capital Region Medical Center. They were later flown to University Hospital in Columbia where he died.

The probable cause statement says police were called at 4:08 p.m. Friday to the 800 block of Mulberry Street for a reported shooting. The caller had identified Mayes as the shooter, the statement says.

Greer drove himself to a hospital and police were not able to speak with him, though the officer in the probable cause statement noted seeing a gunshot wound in Greer’s abdomen. He was pronounced dead at 7:10 p.m., the statement says.

The probable cause statement says prior to the shooting, a woman identified as Mayes girlfriend claimed they had been arguing for a week. Mayes allegedly cut the braids out of the woman’s hair during an argument, the statement says.

Mayes allegedly picked up that woman – who is described as Witness 1 in court documents – the morning of the shooting while he had another woman in his vehicle. The three were heading to another person’s home, the statement says.

Court documents said Witness 1 asked Mayes to take her back to Mulberry Street. Once they arrived back to the home in the 800 block of Mulberry Street, Mayes allegedly held Witness 1 at gunpoint and told her to “go get” the victim’s girlfriend, but she declined, the statement says.

Mayes allegedly walked to the front door of the home asking for Greer and the door was slammed in his face, the statement says. Court documents do not say who answered the door.

Witness 1 described Greer as a brother, though they are not related biologically, the statement says.

Greer later was seen coming from the side of the residence before a gunshot rang out, court documents allege. The witness allegedly saw Mayes “jump in the air with the gun in his hand before running back to his vehicle,” according to the statement.

A second witness gave similar details to police as the first witness, court documents show. A third witness allegedly heard Mayes yell “told you I ain’t playing with you” after the shot was fired, the statement says. Police noted that additional witnesses were interviewed and gave similar accounts of what happened.  

A friend of Greer tells ABC 17 News he would have given the shirt off his back to anyone.

“He was very, very active in the community. He loved the people that loved him,” Juquon Terrill said. “He would definitely go to bat for you, for sure.”

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Mizzou Tigers will host Auburn at Mizzou Arena on Wednesday as conference play continues.

The Tigers are coming off an SEC loss to Ole Miss.

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Matthew Sanders

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been corrected to specify the death was a stabbing.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife.

Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Locke Thompson wrote in a news release that Malang J. Akbari, 46, is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and child endangerment for the stabbing of his wife. He was in the Cole County Jail without bond on Tuesday.

Police found the victim bleeding and unresponsive at the family’s McCarty Street address Monday. Akbari, who left the scene before police arrived, was found in Pettis County, the release says. His 18-month-old boy was found safe with relatives.

A probable cause statement says Akbari believed his wife was cheating on him and tampering with his food.

The statement says Akbari called another one of his sons, and admitted to killing his wife and said he had left the house. The son found his mother bleeding on the kitchen floor and she was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the statement.

“It started because the older son came out and he was on the phone and he was screaming, ‘my mom, my mom,’ And she [my daughter] started asking, ‘What’s that? What’s happening? What’s going on?’ So that’s how we were kind of first alerted to the situation,” Neighbor Christy Boos said.

ABC 17 News spoke with four neighbors in the area who said Monday’s attack was unusual for the area, and safety isn’t typically a concern. Two of the neighbors also considered Akbari and his family to be quiet.

Ryan Boos told ABC 17 News that the news was shocking, adding that Akbari was “a stand-up guy.” They added that Akbari’s family had lived in the area for around four years and they have helped the community several times.

Ryan said that Akbari and his sons have previously helped their family dig out their car when it was stuck in the snow and move a fallen tree off the car after a storm.

Ryan adds that a child was hit by a car in the area, and Akbari gave the child medical attention before emergency services arrived. The child later fully recovered at the hospital.

“We’re kind of half down the street and him and his sons came out and helped shovel us free, so real good family,” Ryan Akbari said. “They present themselves like pretty stand-up people and always helping out the community, even though maybe the community misunderstood them.”

Akbari admitted to stabbing his wife during an argument in the kitchen about cheating, the statement says. He then dropped the baby off at his brother’s house, telling him, “I loved her. I sacrificed everything for her … I made a mistake. I do regret this. There was no other option for me.”

An Amber Alert was sent out after the stabbing, but was later canceled after the child was found safe at the brother’s house.

A neighbor told ABC 17 News that the family had lived there for a few years.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The federal government has released money for child care providers that had been held pending a closer review, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said Tuesday.

DESE wrote in a social media post that all the subsidy funds that had been delayed have now been received. A DESE spokesperson said the agency had received $20 million from the federal government in the past two days.

The federal Administration for Children and Families held the funds last month and asked for justification for the money after a viral video alleged massive fraud by Somali daycare owners in Minneapolis. The investigation also led President Donald Trump’s administration to suspend $10 billion in federal funds that were supposed to go to five Democratic states, a move that was blocked by a federal judge on Friday. 

DESE said Friday that more than half of state child care providers were affected by the delay.

Child care providers should see payments by Jan. 20, the state says.

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Haley Swaino

COLE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Cole County Commission decided on Tuesday dogs at Brooks, County and Thoenen parks must be kept on leashes.

After a resident complaint about a loose dog in a county park in fall 2025, commissioners voted unanimously to pass an animal leash and waste ordinance for all three county parks.

There is no leash law that covers all of Cole County, according to the city’s website. Whether pets are leashed depends on county or specific municipality ordinances.

“Urban Service Areas, such as Westview Heights, and county municipalities may be subject to leash laws,” the county says.

The commission moved forward on the decision to set an ordinance last month.

In Jefferson City, dogs are required to be on leashes at all city-owned parks, except the North Jefferson Recreation Area Dog Park.

After the loose dog complaint in Cole County and community support, the parks committee recommended in December that the county have a leash rule for its parks. Cole County attorney Jill LaHue said she and the public works department would work on language for the new rules.

“All pet animals within a Cole County park shall remain under the immediate control of the owner at all times,” the ordinance states. “All pet animals at a Cole County park shall be on a lease at all times within park boundaries, except in clearly marked designated off-leash areas.”

Cole County Public Works Director Eric Landwehr said off-leash areas could include any future county dog parks.

The ordinance also says any person in charge or control of a pet animal must remove its waste and throw it away in “designated receptacles.”

Not leashing a pet or properly throwing away its waste will result in a fine up to $400.

Tuesday’s Cole County Commission meeting began at 9 a.m.

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Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Gov. Mike Kehoe pushed ahead with his proposal to eliminate Missouri’s income tax during his annual State of the State Address on Tuesday before a joint session of the General Assembly.

Kehoe has talked about income tax elimination since he ran for the office. Now he’s looking to implement those ideas.

“If we are serious about building a foundation for growth, to compete rather than be complacent, then we must begin the work now to phase-out and eliminate Missouri’s individual income tax,” Kehoe said in prepared remarks. “We can do both. We can maintain a balanced budget that supports essential services and pursue a bold tax policy that improves Missouri’s competitiveness.”

Kehoe’s plan to eliminate income tax would be done by expanding the sales tax base to include services.

This would include things such as, monthly subscriptions, e-books. online advertising and AI platforms, according to Kehoe.

“When these types of modern services are taxed, it will create new revenue for local governments.These increases will need to be offset by reducing local taxes, like property taxes, a high priority for Missourians and many of us in this room,” Kehoe said.

The current state income tax is between 2-4.7% making up more than half of state revenue, providing about two thirds of the state’s general revenue fund.

Missouri would join nine states that have eliminated income tax, including neighboring Tennessee.

Kehoe stressed the importance of the proposal Tuesday, noting that while the state’s population is growing, economic growth has been average. While the Show-Me State is strong in recruiting jobs and investment, eliminating the income tax would make Missouri more competitive with states that do not have one.

“Our plan includes safeguards to ensure fiscal responsibility and protect against economic downturns, by requiring triggered reductions to the income tax rate. Eliminating the income tax is not about runaway sales taxes. And I will never support extending sales taxes on agriculture, healthcare, or real estate. Period,” Kehoe said.

2026 State of the State AddressDownload

Democratic lawmakers have pushed back on this plan, calling it “the most devastating tax increase in Missouri”, saying it will affect low and middle-income families.

“Eliminating that revenue source requires a massive increase in both rate and scope of the state’s sales tax,” House Minority Leader Ashley Aune said. “To avoid bankrupting state government, the result would be a net tax increase for the vast majority of Missourians. If you want the state to tax services that are currently constitutionally protected from taxation, you’ll love tax hike Mike’s plan.”

Aune claims Kehoe’s plan would be an “unwarranted” tax cut for the rich and would lead to less money to invest in children through public education, along with law enforcement, infrastructure and health care.

“Mike wants to dig his hands deeper into most people’s pockets, but provide them fewer services in return,” Aune said.

Democratic lawmakers are already planning to counter Kehoe’s proposal with another plan.

Aune said either option will hurt Missourians. State Rep. Mark Boyko (D-Kirkwood) said he intends to file an alternative plan next week that he claims would save residents more money. Boyko couldn’t give details of the plan.

Kehoe also stressed the need for responsible state budgeting after the state auditor warned the General Assembly of a quickly dropping reserve fund. Kehoe said his budget reduces $600 million from general revenue spending.

Kehoe’s 2025 State of the State address included priorities such as public safety, economic development, agriculture, education and government efficiency. For 2026, his focus will be continuing to prioritize those areas, according to a press release from the Governor’s office.

Kehoe also signed executive orders on school accountability and to create a government efficiency initiative called Missouri GREAT.

Kehoe’s plan to eliminate the state income tax will need to be voter-approved and is expected to be on the ballot this year.

One of Kehoe’s top priorities ahead of his address is public safety, which has been a hot topic since a Homecoming weekend shooting in September that led to the death of Stephen’s College student Aiyanna Williams.

In December, University of Missouri System President Mun Choi met with Kehoe and Missouri’s public safety team to discuss efforts to combat crime in Columbia. However, that meeting only included university representatives, not city officials.

Earlier this month, Kehoe met with Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, City Manager De’Carlon Seewood, and Police Chief Jill Schlude to discuss public safety.

The city official’s meeting with Kehoe came after a violent start to the year in Columbia.

On Jan 3, a 17-year-old was arrested after police claimed he fired shots inside Dick’s Sporting Goods in the Shoppes at Stadium area, then stole a car and fled on Interstate 70. The following night, a shooting at an apartment complex on Clark Lane left 21-year-old Brianna Hawkins, of Fulton, dead and two others injured.

Buffaloe told ABC 17 News that while the meeting was pre-planned before those incidents took place, both of them came up in their conversation with Kehoe. 

City Manager De’Carlon Seewod described the meeting as “short” but productive. No other meetings with Kehoe have been scheduled.

To address crime among youth, Kehoe said Tuesday he plans to have legislation for juveniles to be charged as an adult for certain violent crimes.

“We must allow prosecutors to request a hearing before a judge for certain violent crimes committed by juveniles and give judges the ability to determine whether those cases should be held in adult court,” Kehoe said.

Kehoe added that the juvenile justice system was designed to rehabilitate young people, but he said it is not meant to be a revolving door for repeat offenders.

He said this would allow more accountability for young violent offenders.

“Right now, when a judge sentences an offender, no one in the courtroom—not victims, not law enforcement, not even the court—can say what that sentence truly means. That lack of transparency undermines confidence in the system,” Kehoe said.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Barnett man has been charged with two felonies after authorities claim he assaulted a woman last month.

Williams Simms, 29, was charged with first-degree domestic assault and armed criminal action. He is being held at the Morgan County Jail on a $250,000 bond and a court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says police were called on Dec. 10 for a reported assault. Simms allegedly had been arguing with the since the night before and accused her of being with another person, the statement says.

Court documents say Simms dragged the victim, threw her down multiple times and hit and strangled her before holding a knife to the victim’s throat.

The victim allegedly ran away to a neighbor’s residence to get away from Simms and call law enforcement.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Board of Education unanimously passed its new policy on artificial intelligence.

The policy focuses on “generative AI,” which creates text, images, videos and other media. The new policy set forth by the Missouri School Boards’ Association says that the district must have an AI coordinator, who will monitor advancements, risks and practices of generative AI, according to meeting documents.

Before, the district required one person to be “up to speed” on AI developments, the documents say.

The coordinator will also create AI use plans that are designed to give guidance and criteria for acceptable AI tool selection and use in the district.  

AI policy 1-12-26Download

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