Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Benton County Treasurer Richard Renno was charged on Monday with two child sex crimes.

Renno, 62, of Lincoln, was charged in Benton County with child enticement and sexual misconduct involving a child younger than 15 years old. Missouri State Highway Patrol arrest reports show he was arrested at 7:37 a.m. Monday and was brought to the jail. MSHP later wrote in a press release that he is being held on a $100,000 bond.

A hearing was held on Monday afternoon and the court issued a motion to recuse itself and find a new judge.

The probable cause statement says that Renno used the dating application Grindr in August to speak to a child younger than 15 years old. A witness allegedly gave a screenshot to law enforcement of Renno’s face and a nude photograph he sent through Grindr, court documents say. A family member was able to identify Renno to law enforcement, the statement says.

“The family member told me that he would use his electronic devices, computers and cellular devices to solicit sex online from young men,” the probable cause statement reads.

Renno allegedly admitted to troopers that he has had a Grindr account for 10 years and has talked with minors on the application more than once, the statement says. He also allegedly admitted to sending a nude photograph to users.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A mother was charged with several felonies after authorities say she tried to kill her children on Sunday night in a Jefferson City hotel room.

Lydia Ginger, 36, was charged on Monday with child abuse, four counts of domestic assault and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. A warrant was issued and no bond was set.

The probable cause statement says that one of her children called police after Ginger threatened to kill and strangle them and their siblings. Ginger allegedly tried to smother the child with a pillow.

The victim also reported seeing Ginger try to smother a 3-month-old while saying that “if one dies, they all die,” court documents say. Another child told police at the Capitol Plaza Hotel that Ginger tried to smother them, court documents say.

Ginger allegedly told police that she “blacked out” and couldn’t remember anything.

“Ginger admitted that she ‘snapped,’ adding that she’s not denying that suffocation with pillows happened – but she couldn’t remember, citing her being ‘blacked out’ due to post-partum depression,” the statement says.

Police also found several empty alcohol bottles in the hotel room and wrote that she appeared “highly intoxicated” outside of the hotel room.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Moniteau County man is facing 16 felonies after a drug search warrant was served last week.

Jorge Bedolla, 36, of California, was taken into custody after the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force and Moniteau County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a home on Gerhart Road on Thursday.

Bedolla was charged with second-degree drug trafficking, possession of a controlled substance, three counts of child endangerment and 11 counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.

Court documents state Bedolla was taken into custody at the home and was later found with a crystal substance in his pocket that field tested positive for meth.

Deputies said they also found about a gram of fentanyl on a picture with a card that had Bedolla’s name next to it, with a hollowed-out pen.

A handgun with two rounds in its chamber was found by detectives, according to documents. Badolla’s wife allegedly told deputies the guns belonged to him.

Ten guns were allegedly found in a locked room in the bathroom attached to the main bedroom.

Documents also state deputies found a substance that field tested positive for meth in a garage behind the home.

Three children were in the home at the time of the arrest. Deputies said in court documents that they could have access to any of the drugs as they were found in open areas.

Badolla is currently being held at the Moniteau County Jail.

An initial arraignment is set for Tuesday morning.

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Madison Stuerman

MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ)

After several months of searching, the City of Moberly has a new police chief.

According to a release, Interim Chief Bobby Calvert was appointed to the position of Chief of Police on Monday.

Calvert was named interim chief after the city announced the retirement of Troy Link in March.

Calvert has worked at the Moberly Police Department for 14 years, according to the release. His experience includes the ranks of corporal and sergeant. He has served as a Narcotics Detective, SWAT Commander, DARE Officer and K9 Officer.

“He has distinguished himself as a trusted leader and valued colleague,” City Manager Michael Bugalski said in the release. “The loyalty he inspires is a testament to both his tremendous potential in this role, and the strong support he has within our department.”

The release states Calvert is a longtime advocate for officer training and development, as he has served as a Public Safety Generalist with the Department of Public Safety for 15 years.

He started his career after graduating from the Moberly Area Community College Law Enforcement Training Center in 2000. He also has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Bellevue University.

Calvert will be sworn in at a City Council meeting on June 16.

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Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

No one is in custody Monday morning after a man was injured Sunday morning in a shooting in Downtown Columbia.

Columbia Police Department spokesperson Brian McNeill wrote in a Monday morning in an email there is no additional information at this time.

Officers responded to the shooting around 1:48 a.m. on East Walnut Street.

Lt. Derek Moore said at the scene the victim’s injuries were not life-threatening and he did not go to the hospital.

Elizabeth Lippelman is a bartender at two bars near where the shooting happened and says she heard dozens of shots fired.

“15 at least 15 to 20 were fired and it went on for 30 minutes or so,” Lippleman said.

Working in the area for a while now, Lippelman said Sunday’s shooting was not the first time she heard gunshots while on the clock and said it’s becoming more concerning.

“Kinda terrifying for people who work down there because we have huge windows in front of our building and you never really know when thats going to happen,” Lippelman said.

ABC 17 News spoke with people in the area who wanted to remain anonymous, but said the man was grazed in the head by the bullet.

Lacondance Houston, who lost her son, Deshon Houston to gun violence in Columbia. She says more needs to be done inside the bars to keep people safe.

“Having more security  especially security guards that are working inside the clubs because you know you have people that get out of hand and the police can’t come right away,” Lippelman added.

Lippelman agrees bars should be more proactive, but believes it goes beyond business owners.

“It has more to do with the amount of people getting solely on the street. a foot patrol at night or something of a couple cops to make sure everyone is safe,” Lippleman said. “Stricter curfew laws or stricter open container laws or maybe just more police monitoring at 3 a.m.,”

Houston wants the violence to stop and urging people to think before they act.

“Put the guns down we have all something to live for and I am quite sure y’all have something to live for so put the guns down,” Houston said.

Overall, Lippelman said she would like to see more police in the area when the bars close, stricter curfews and more tickets issued for open intoxication.

“I feel safe coming to work I don’t feel safe leaving majority of the time especially when I have to walk multiple blocks to get to my car at night and there is literal rounds being fired.,” Lippelman said.

An ABC 17 News reporter on scene saw at least 26 evidence markers placed along East Walnut between North Eighth and North Ninth streets—about two blocks from where police were originally called.

At least three vehicles with visible bullet holes were also seen on North Ninth Street.

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Madison Stuerman

MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ)

Five people were hurt in Mexico, Missouri, after a car drove through a building on Sunday afternoon.

The Mexico Public Safety Department said in a release that officers responded to the 4500 block of E Liberty Street just before 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Officers learned an 88-year-old man was driving a 2015 GMC SUV on private property when he lost control and crashed into the front wall of a building.

Police said around 35 people were inside the building when the crash happened.

The Audrain Ambulance District was able to identify and stabilize any patients. Five people were hurt, but only one person, a 37-year-old man, was taken to the hospital.

Police said the 37-year-old was taken to University Hospital, where he was treated and released.

The building has “significant damage” according to the release. City officials and the property owner will be working to make sure the building is safe.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia will host a series of office hours with city staff and council members to discuss the potential impacts of federal and state executive orders, with one happening Monday afternoon.

Members of the community are invited to attend these meetings to learn more about the impacts and provide their thoughts. The office hours will be on the following dates and are open to residents from any ward:

Monday, June 9, 1-3 p.m. with Mayor Barbara Buffaloe and City staff at the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services department, 1005 W. Worley St.

Wednesday, June 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m. with Council Member Jacque Sample and City staff at the Columbia Fire Department’s Fire Training Academy, 700 Big Bear Blvd.

Thursday, June 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m. with Council Member Don Waterman and City staff in Room C of the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC), 1701 W. Ash St.

Sunday, June 15, 2-4 p.m. with Council Member Valerie Carroll and City staff at the Friends Room of the Daniel Boone Regional Library, 100 W. Broadway

The first session took place over the weekend with council member Nick Foster and city staff inside Columbia City Hall.

The city states that these meetings are in response to its May 5 meeting, where several individuals raised concerns about the city’s proposed changes to its strategic plan resulting from executive orders. Specifically, Executive Order 14151, which targets the language of diversity, equity and inclusion ordered by President Donald Trump. If the city does not comply with the executive orders, it risks losing federal funding.

The City of Columbia is also hosting the second of seven block parties on Monday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Douglas Park featuring food, music and games. The city says that this is a way to informally connect with community members and learn more about city services.

June 9, Douglass Park

June 17, Albert-Oakland Park (Shelter 2)

June 23, Fairview Park

June 30, Cosmo-Bethel Park (Leech Shelter)

July 10, Indian Hills Park

July 15, Rock Quarry Park

All block parties hosted by the city will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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Nia Hinson

PHELPS COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Salem, Missouri woman was injured when the vehicle she was driving flipped over Sunday afternoon.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the 22-year-old woman was driving a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt on Highway 8 around 3 p.m. The crash occurred when the vehicle went off the right side of the road– overcorrected– and flipped over.

The vehicle then came to a rest upright, the crash report says. The woman was flown to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis with serious injuries.

She was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred, according to the crash report.

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Nia Hinson

CAMDEN COUNY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Genoa City, Wisconsin man was injured when a jetski he was riding on became airborne Saturday.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, the 33-year-old man was riding the jetski at the 18 mile marker of the main channel around 5 p.m. when the jetski hit a wave and became airborne. The man was then ejected from the vehicle.

He was taken to Lake Regional Hospital with serious injuries.

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Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The building that was being photographed by Columbia Police Department was corrected.

A man was injured in a shooting that started on East Walnut Street in downtown Columbia early Sunday morning, according to CPD Lieutenant Derek Moore.

CPD were dispatched to the area at around 1:48 a.m. for shots fired. The man’s injuries were not life-threatening, and he was not taken to the hospital. Police have not identified any suspects but there is no threat to the public, Moore said.

An ABC 17 News reporter arrived at the scene in the 700 block of East Walnut Street around 2:15 a.m. and saw police with a gurney standing in front of the Boone County Courthouse.

ABC 17 News saw more than eight Columbia Police Department vehicles, two ambulances and a MU Health Care vehicle in that area. A Crime Scene Investigations vehicle was also seen.

About two blocks away on East Walnut Street between North Eighth Street and North Ninth Street, ABC 17 News saw at least 26 evidence markers.

“It was it was a fairly large scene,” Moore said. “So [police] parked in front of the courthouse to make sure they preserved the evidence while they were coming up.”

At least three vehicles with bullet holes were seen on North Ninth Street.

A vehicle with bullet holes on North Ninth Street in downtown Columbia around 2:40 a.m. on June 8, 2025.

One vehicle had a flat tire.

A vehicle with bullet holes and a flat tire on North Ninth Street in downtown Columbia around 2:50 a.m. on June 8, 2025.

Police were also seen taking photos at the building on 811 and 813 E Walnut St.

“We located a bit of property damage as well, in addition to the injuries and quite a bit of evidence,” Moore said.

A man who lived on Walnut told ABC 17 News that he had to let police into his apartment building after they reported a bullet going through a third-floor window. He added that nighttime gatherings of over 300 people were common for Ninth and Walnut, with many events involving alcohol and going into 3 a.m.

Crime scene tape was taken down in the area just before 3:30 a.m.

Moore adds that police are going through footage from cameras in the area in the investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.

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