Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A portion of Providence Road in Columbia near Big Bear Boulevard will close on Tuesday as crews fix a portion of the road that “buckled” on Monday.

Crews began working to repair the buckle on Monday morning, according to a social media post from Columbia Public Works. The closure will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday as crews pour concrete, a Monday afternoon release says. The closure will last about an hour, the release says.

Providence Road will be closed in both directions, with northbound traffic being detoured east onto Big Bear Boulevard, the release says. Southbound Providence will be closed.

The release says that drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes, such as Range Line Street and North Garth Avenue, to avoid delays, the release says.

The social media post from Columbia Public Works says that road buckles can occur during extended periods of hot weather, when heat causes pavement to expand.

Road buckles have been reported recently in Cape Girardeau and other parts of the country, including South Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social account that Israel and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire after days of violence in the Middle East.

Trump wrote at 5:02 p.m. Central Standard Time that the ceasefire would begin in about six hours.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on his social media at 7:46 p.m. CST, however, that an agreement has not been reached. He wrote that Iran would stop firing if Israel also halted. CNN reported at 9:25 p.m. that Iran fired more missiles at Israel.

Trump’s ceasefire start time would come to around 11 p.m. CST. Araghchi wrote that Iran would stop firing at 4 a.m. Tehran time. The news of the new round of missiles from Iran was reported around 6:18 a.m. in Tehran, or 9:22 p.m. CST.

Israel’s military launched an attack against Iran on June 12, which kicked off the latest scuffle between the two countries. Iran and Israel returned fire for days and the United States launched an attack on Sunday. Iran eventually attacked a U.S. military base Monday in Qatar.

“CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED! Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World,” Trump wrote.

As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around.

As of now, there is NO “agreement” on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no…

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 24, 2025

“As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around. As of now, there is NO “agreement” on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards,” Araghchi wrote.

Check back for updates.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An inmate at Jefferson City Correctional Center was charged with several felonies after he allegedly stabbed a corrections officer on Feb. 29, 2024.

Gary Owen Miller, 50, was charged in Cole County with first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, one count of violence toward a DOC employee and two counts of having a weapon at a prison. A court date has not been set.

The probable cause statement says that the corrections officers was picking up food trays when Miller stabbed him with a 37-inch long, prison-made weapon. The officer was stabbed in his upper abdomen/lower chest, the statement says.

Another corrections officer searched Miller and allegedly found another prison-made weapon that was 9-inches long, the statement says.

DOC filings show that Miller is serving an 80-year sentence for charges including second-degree murder, first-degree assault, kidnapping and first-degree burglary.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Moberly man was charged with two gun crimes after he allegedly pointed a rifle at two youths on a trail.

Jeffery O’Neal, 58, was charged with illegal gun possession and unlawful use of a weapon. He is being held at the Randolph County Jail on a $10,000 bond. A court date has not been set.

The probable cause statement says that deputies were called around 7:45 p.m. Sunday after two children said a man pointed a gun at them. The gun was sitting on a cooler before O’Neal picked it up, the statement says.

The youths were allegedly riding a four-wheeler on trails “they were allowed to be on,” the statement says. The vehicle broke down and one of the children tried to restart it, the statement says.

One of the children ran away and the second youth eventually got the vehicle working, the statement says.

O’Neal allegedly told law enforcement that the gun was loaded.  He claimed he saw the youths come down the trail, but was using a “firing range,” according to the statement. The statement says that O’Neal is a convicted felon and isn’t allowed to have a gun.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A mother in Macon County has been charged with a pair of felonies after she allegedly assaulted her 6-month-old baby.

Ann Andrews was charged on Thursday with two counts of child abuse. She is being held in jail on a $250,000 bond. A bond hearing was held on Monday and no change was made. A hearing was scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday. A mugshot was not immediately available.

The probable cause statement says that University Hospital staff called the Missouri Children’s Division on May 19 about possible child abuse of a baby who had fractured bones. Andrews, during an interview with the Missouri State Highway Patrol on June 17, allegedly admitted to abusing the child on March 21 and 24.

The child allegedly would not take a formula bottle on March 21, Andrews became frustrated and “yanked” the baby’s arms four times, the statement says. On March 24, the child allegedly would not eat again and Andrews “yanked” on their legs four times, the statement says.

She allegedly told law enforcement that the assaults occurred while the father of the child was at work and no one else was in the home, the statement says.

“Andrews said she didn’t tell anyone else what she did in fear someone would believe she was a bad mom,” the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Sedalia man has been charged with several felonies after he allegedly sexually assaulted a youth more than once.

Francisco Reyes was charged on Saturday with first-degree rape, tampering with a victim in a felony prosecution, first-degree kidnapping, sexual misconduct involving a child younger than 15 years old and illegal reentry.  A hearing was held on Monday, but was paused to 10 a.m. Tuesday to allow for a “use of language line.”

The probable cause statement says law enforcement was notified of a possible sexual assault by someone on May 23. An interview with the victim occurred at Child Safe in Sedalia, where they described two assaults, one of which occurred in August 2024, the statement says.

Reyes allegedly shut the victim in a room, assaulted them and then gave them money and told the victim not to tell anyone, the statement says. Another person allegedly told law enforcement that they saw Reyes on top of the victim in a room during a day in the summer of 2023.

Court documents say that Reyes has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Guatemala and was planning to go to Guatemala in a few weeks.

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Madison Stuerman

HALLSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ)

One person was found dead at a home under construction in Hallsville on Monday.

According to the Boone County Fire Protection District press release, firefighters were called to a house on Elizabeth Street in Hallsville for a report of a person trapped in a cistern under a porch.

The release states a construction worker told officials he could not find his coworker after he briefly left the site. When he returned, he could not find the other person.

Boone County Fire Protection District, along with the Hallsville Police Department, searched the area but were unable to find the missing person. The release states they did not think the missing person had left the scene.

Fire crews found the man after pumping water from the cistern using trash pumps.

The Columbia Fire Department assisted in the recovery while Boone Ambulance was on medical standby.

The cause of death is currently under investigation by the Boone County Medical Examiner.

ABC 17 News saw 15 Hallsville police officers, two Columbia firetrucks, four Boone County firetrucks, an ambulance and eight Boone County Sheriff vehicles.

The name of the man has not been released.

Check back for updates.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone County prosecutors have charged a man with rape stemming from an assault that took place in July 2018.

Antonio Bates, 58, is charged with one count of first-degree rape.

Court documents state that on July 24, 2018, police were called to a sexual assault in the 800 block of Ann Street around 3 a.m.

Police said the victim reported being outside near a garden area of an apartment when a conversation started with Bates, who was unknown to the victim at the time.

It was reported the victim told police Bates started to grab at their dress while talking and allegedly pulled them by the arm to the back of a building. Court documents state the victim was forced to the ground and assaulted.

Court documents state the victim went to the hospital and had a sexual assault test done. Bates was identified after the test was a match to him, according to police.

Bates was not in custody as of Monday morning. A warrant for his arrest was issued on June 13.

Police said Bates has ties to the St. Louis area.

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Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad continues to help out local law enforcement agencies 60 years after its formation, lending resources to the most high-profile investigations.

“It’s comprised of a bunch of detectives from different agencies to make a criminal investigation division of their own,” Columbia Police Department Lt. Matt Gremore said. “If you have a big incident, they’ll activate the Major Case Squad [where] multiple detectives from different agencies come in.”

Gremore said typically, the Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad is activated for homicides and the number of people asked to join the investigation depends on the amount of work for each case.

According to prior reporting by ABC 17 News on the Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad, the group was formed in 1965 and is made up of 11 sheriff’s offices, 13 police departments and agencies including the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI. These agencies include the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Audrain County Sheriff’s Office and Columbia Police Department.

Agencies included in the highlighted cities signify involvement in the Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad.

The group continues to be used to help solve cases, particularly in smaller communities.

In late February, a man was charged in connection with the shooting death of 17-year-old Mason Sheets in Fulton. Earlier in the month, the Fulton Police Department said the Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad followed up on more than 250 leads. Authorities said this led the Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad five days later to identify other possible suspects, who were juveniles from outside Fulton.

Capt. Brian Leer with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said he believes the last time the department had a full activation of the Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad was in 2010 for the investigation into Aletha Turner’s murder. Leer said the sheriff’s office has had other “partial activations” where it asked for a couple of people to assist on some cases.

In 1994, the squad was activated for the Virginia “Ginger” Davis homicide on Patsy Lane in west Columbia. Police say Davis was found dead inside her home on June 6, 1994, with a bag over her head and marks on her arms and legs.

Photo of Virginia ‘Ginger’ Davis on an unknown date (Columbia Police Department)

“I believe that there were several factors there,” Gremore said. “She had blunt force trauma to the head as well as the bag. My theory would be that the bag was absolutely a weapon that was used. I don’t know if that was the only thing that was used to cause [her] death.”

The Boone County Coroner’s Office determined Davis suffocated to death, but Columbia Police believe strangulation and injuries to her head may have also played a part.

After the death was ruled a homicide on June 7, 1994, Columbia asked for assistance from the Major Case Squad for at least June 9 and June 10 due to “an increase in calls from individuals giving us information that needs to be checked ASAP.” A news release also stated that police received “information from numerous individuals requiring follow-up investigation.”

According to the 1994 CPD release, the Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad provided two additional investigators. This brought the total number of investigators on the case to 12 people. Columbia Police were unable to say how long the additional two investigators worked on the Davis case.

“The amount of information that they were receiving on this case I think is significant compared to some of our other homicides,” Gremore said.

Thirty-one years later, Columbia Police have yet to make an arrest in connection with the 43-year-old’s death.

Watch the latest “Mid-Missouri’s Cold Case Files: The Case of Virginia ‘Ginger’ Davis” at 10 p.m. Tuesday on ABC 17 News.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The defense attorney for a Columbia man charged with first-degree murder claims the man acted in self-defense.

The jury trial for 35-year -old Kimo Spivey began Monday morning, launching the start of what’s expected to be a four-day jury trial.

Spivey is charged with first-degree murder, illegal gun possession, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action. He’s accused in the death of Melvin Hooker III outside Plush Lounge in Columbia in 2023.

During Monday’s opening arguments, Spivey’s attorney Joseph Flees claimed he acted in self-defense and had no intent to kill Hooker.

“There’s no deliberation. No intent to harm, no evidence here in this trial that he was trying to work together with the others,” Flees said.

However, Assistant Boone County Prosecutor Tony Gonzalez said Spivey, along with the other two men involved in the case are felons and should have never been in possession of a gun.

“There was no reason for these men to do what they did,” Gonzalez said. “They started the situation. They were the aggressors.”

Monday’s trial began at 8 a.m. with a panel of 92 potential jurors filing into the courtroom just after 9 a.m. The prosecutor, judge and defense attorney on the case then began asking a series of questions to jurors, geared toward wielding down the jury pool to 12. A jury was selected around 4 p.m. Court adjourned at 5 p.m.

Several questions included whether potential jurors were a victim of a violent crime or knew someone who was, and if they had strong opinions toward gun use and possession.

There was also inquiry about whether the jurors would feel comfortable viewing photos and videos from the homicide scene.

Several jurors stated they couldn’t confidently say they wouldn’t allow their personal beliefs toward guns allow them to be fair toward both parties, if selected on the jury. Some potential jurors also expressed uneasiness toward viewing graphic scene video.

Shortly after the court went into recess for lunch, the defense, prosecuting attorney and judge agreed upon dismissing several potential jurors from being selected. A handful of people in the jury pool were also dismissed early-on in Monday’s trial due to various personal reasons.

Court is expected to reconvene Tuesday at 8 a.m.

Columbia man Samuel Moss Jr. pleaded guilty in April 2024 to unlawful use of a weapon and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. 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. His next court date was not listed on Casenet.

Court documents in previous reporting say a witness allegedly told police Hooker was involved in an argument with a group of people and then went to the passenger side door of his car to get a gun.

In previous reporting, Moss and Spivey reportedly approached Hooker and shot at him while Simpson shot from Plush Nightclub’s doorway. A witness also allegedly told law enforcement that they saw “Spivey shoot and kill hooker.”

Spivey is also charged in another case for second-degree domestic assault, third-degree assault, three counts of delivery of a controlled substance and a count of drug possession. A pretrial conference in that case is set for Monday, Sept. 8.

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