Category: kmiz-local-news

Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Several people could get dropped from the lawsuit filed by the family of former University of Missouri student Riley Strain at a court hearing Tuesday.

Strain’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Delta Chi fraternity in March, claiming the fraternity did not follow safety protocols during a March 2024 fraternity “formal” event in Nashville that led to Strain’s death. The lawsuit also claimed Strain’s fraternity brothers did not accompany him back to the hotel when he was kicked out of a bar and didn’t check on him until later.

Jacob Lewis, the family’s attorney, argued that both the national Delta Chi organization and Strain’s fraternity brothers were obligated to both monitor the event and help Strain.

“This was a foreseeable act, particularly for a fraternity that is well aware of the consequences of alcohol, Lewis said. “If you put somebody in a position that they now need help because of your actions, you have taken upon yourself a duty.”

Lewis added that Delta Chi has several training and safety videos as well as an online member portal, so the organization would be able to stay in touch with fraternity activities.

“They regularly communicate with people through social media apps they have, though the portal that they have, they can exert an area of control that would not have been possible even 30 or 40 years ago,” Lewis said.

The defense argued that the fraternity was not responsible for Strain’s actions, adding that it’s unreasonable to expect the organization to closely monitor the events of more than 100 local fraternities across the nation.

“The allegations don’t involve forced alcohol consumption, there’s no allegations that Mr. Strain had a bottle of vodka taped to his hand, but this was free and voluntary intoxication by someone who could legally purchase and consume his own alcohol,” defense attorney Clayton Tompson said. “National organizations do not have sufficient resources to monitor activities and protocols.”

Since its filing, numerous defendants have requested that Devine remove them from the lawsuit. Attorneys agreed on dismissing nine fraternity members earlier this month.

Some attorneys during Tuesday’s hearing argued that the suit was filed in the wrong state, arguing that the core events of Strain’s death happened across state lines.

“We’re going to be dealing with the EMS, police officers, investigators,” said Robert Wulff, who is the defense attorney for one of the fraternity members. “Any witnesses that may come forward in future discussions, all of that is going to be taking place in Tennessee.”

Lewis argued Missouri is the correct state to hold the trial since the event was planned and alcohol was bought at the Delta Chi house. This includes Jell-O shots that were allegedly made, along with transportation being organized to bus members from the home to Nashville.

“Riley Strain was offered and did consume jello shots, he did those things, we claim, the entire trip across Missouri,” Lewis said.

Strain went missing on March 8, 2024, after being kicked out of Luke’s Bridge 32 bar on Broadway and 3rd Avenue just before 10 p.m. Police found his body in the Cumberland River on March 22, 2024. Strain’s death was ruled a drowning, with a toxicology report also finding alcohol and other substances in his system.

Boone County Judge Joshua Devine did not make any decisions Tuesday, adding that there was “a lot to consider.”

Devine did grant the defense attorneys a week to file additional suggestions for their motions, which are due on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City Police Department detective will not be allowed to testify at a murder trial about what the suspect’s cellphone said about his whereabouts the day of the crime.

The defense for Sergio Sayles, 39, has filed the motion to exclude the detective’s testimony. A hearing was held on Tuesday morning.

Sayles was charged in 2023 with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, tampering with evidence, misdemeanor second-degree stalking and misdemeanor second-degree harassment. Sayles is accused of killing Jasmine King in April 2023. Police found King dead from stab wounds to her head, face, neck, torso and back in her home in the 300 block of West Ashley Street in Jefferson City.

Prosecutors originally sought the death penalty, but in April, Sayles waived his right to a jury trial in exchange for the state dropping the death penalty.

According to online court records, Sayles’ defense lawyer filed multiple motions in that same month:

Motion to suppress statements Sayles made during interrogations after he requested an attorney.

Motion to exclude cellphone testimony.

Motion to dismiss the indictment against Sayles based on prosecutorial misconduct during grand jury proceedings.

Motion to dismiss and for other sanctions for destroying Sayles’ car.

Motion for disclosure of plea agreement and/or inducements to prosecution witnesses.

The exclusion of cellphone testimony was sustained; the state will call another witness to replace what was previously going to be a Jefferson City Police Department detective’s testimony regarding cell location.

Arguments for the other motions were ongoing Tuesday morning.

A bench trial is set for 9 a.m. Nov. 3 in the Boone County Courthouse in front of Judge Brouck Jacobs.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

President Donald Trump on Monday pledged to clean up crime in the nation’s capital, announcing the federal takeover of Washington, D.C., police and the activation of the National Guard.

Trump said one of the first moves will be to clear homeless encampments.

Critics pointed out lower violent crime numbers in official statistics and said the president’s actions were not necessary.

Do you support activating the National Guard in D.C.? Let us know by voting in the poll.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Sedalia man was charged in Pettis County with a pair of felonies and a misdemeanor after he led law enforcement on a chase on Saturday.

Gunner Saulbeamer was charged with aggravated fleeing, first-degree assault and misdemeanor fourth-degree assault. He is being held at the Pettis County Jail on a $25,000 bond. An arraignment was held on Monday and he appeared by video from the jail. A counsel status hearing was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26.

On Saturday, a Sedalia police officer saw a green Kia Soul drive not stop for a stop sign, the officer turned on his sirens and a chase ensued throughout the city, the probable cause statement says. The chase exceeded 90 miles per hour near West Main Street, Grand Avenue and Kentucky Avenue, the statement says.

Spike strips were used and popped one of the tires on the vehicle, by the chase continued. The statement says deputies picked up the chase around near Yeater Road and the Kia crashed into a dirt mound near Oak Grove Lane. Saulbeamer ran away from the vehicle, but was quickly caught, the statement indicates. He then spit on an officer after he was arrested, court documents say.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man was charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor after an exchange while he was pulled over turned into him getting pepper sprayed.

Patrick Allen, 26, was charged with resisting arrest, armed criminal action and misdemeanor obstructing government operations. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond.

The probable cause statement says Allen told police he would not show up for court. An arraignment was held on Monday and Allen appeared by video from the jail, where he pleaded not guilty. A counsel status hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday.

The statement says at 4 a.m. Sunday, a police officer saw a red Jeep heading south onto Jackson Street with no front-mounted license plate. The officer tried to see the back plate, but was not able to tell if there was a license plate, court documents say.

Allen pulled the Jeep over on High Street and the officer turned right onto McCarty Street to see if Allen would move the Jeep once his vehicle was out of sight, the statement says. The officer wrote that he did this because he thought the behavior was “suspicious.”

The Jeep left again and the officer started a traffic stop because he could not see a plate, the statement says. The officer wrote the plate appeared to be a fake Illinois temp tag, court documents say.

The officer allegedly told Allen that he stopped him because he wasn’t able to see his plates and thought his driving was “evasive,” the statement says.

Allen allegedly said “no way,” denied to give the officer his proof of insurance when asked, demanded to see a supervisor and rolled up his window, court documents say.

More officers arrived and Allen still refused to get him an ID or proof of insurance, the statement says. The situation escalated to the point where police broke the Jeep’s driver side window and used pepper spray, the statement says.

Allen then backed into the first officer’s patrol vehicle before ramming into a second vehicle, where the officer’s supervisor was seated, the statement says. Three officers suffered minor injuries, court documents say.

Allen then tried to get away and almost hit two more officers, the statement says. He was eventually arrested after he got out of the vehicle, the statement says.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Lake Ozark police had to use a stun gun and pepper spray to subdue a man accused of kicking an officer and touching film equipment that was not his.

Justin Carr, of Carthage, Missouri, was charged on Saturday in Miller County with third-degree attempted assault. Court filings show that he posted a $10,000 bond. A court date is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10.

The probable cause statement says Lake Ozark police officers were in the 1200 block of Bagnell Dam Boulevard for an unrelated call when a member of a film production company told Carr to not touch their film equipment and to step away. Police wrote that Carr appeared to be drunk.

He was allegedly asked several times to step away, but “escalated” the situation and police used a stun gun to try to subdue him, the statement says. An officer had scrapes and cuts on his hand from trying to arrest Carr, the statement says.

Carr then allegedly wished death on the officer and his family before kicking the cop in his chest while he was being put in the back of the patrol car, the statement says. Carr started to kick the back window and cage of the vehicle and police had to use pepper spray to get him to stop, the statement says.  

Click here to follow the original article.

Haley Swaino

COLE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man who was released from federal custody this summer after his sentence was commuted earlier this year by then-President Joe Biden is now in the Cole County Jail.

Malcolm Redmon, 42, is being held at the jail without bond on a U.S. Marshal hold, jail records indicate. Redmon appeared on the Boone County Jail’s roster on Friday evening. Capt. Brian Leer, of the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, wrote in an email that Redmon was picked up from the Boone County Jail Monday morning.

He was being held there on a federal detainer based probation, according to previous reporting, though the violation has not been stated by officials. Leer said the Columbia Police Department took Redmon into custody. CPD told ABC 17 News on Monday it could not provide additional details surrounding Redmon’s arrest.

An initial appearance on revocation proceedings and preliminary revocation hearing is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. Wednesday at the U.S. District Court.

Redmon was sentenced to 24 years in 2016 after pleading guilty to being involved in a cocaine-selling ring in Mid-Missouri, according to previous reporting. Redmon was one of 27 people arrested in 2014 throughout Missouri and Illinois. He was one of nearly 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug charges to have their sentence commuted by former President Biden.

He was released from federal custody a decade early on July 16, according to previous reporting.

Leer told ABC 17 News on Saturday afternoon the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri issued the warrant for Redmon’s recent arrest. The court’s office told ABC 17 News until he appears in court, no details can be shared.

Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. ordered the public defender’s office to represent Redmon.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Pulaski County woman was charged with three misdemeanors after her children allegedly faced poor living conditions.

Aleah Gretch was charged with three counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. A criminal summons was issued on Friday. An initial court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 12.  

A social worker alleged that children were residing in unlivable conditions. Photographs allegedly showed “the residence with piles of garbage, insects, human feces, and other filthy conditions in every room of the residence,” the probable cause statement says.

Two of the children were interviewed at their school, and they allegedly told interviewers that they were told to lie about the state of their home.

Law enforcement went to the home, noticed a strong smell along with trash, feces and other debris all around the home’s floor and walls, the statement says. Children’s Division took custody of the children and brought them to their father’s residence, the statement says.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City businessman is the fourth Republican to officially declare for the Sixth Senate District race next year.

Jake Vogel, president of Jefferson City Coca-Cola, wrote in a social media post Monday that he would seek the seat currently held by term-limited Republican Mike Bernsketter. The Sixth Senate District covers Jefferson City and the Lake of the Ozarks area and Moniteau County.

Vogel’s father, Carl Vogel, represented Cole County in the Missouri Senate for two terms after winning election in 2002.

Vogel plans to launch his campaign on Wednesday at the Coca-Cola warehouse in Jefferson City, according to his post.

Other Republicans who have formed campaign committees ahead of the August 2026 primary are Becky Ruth, state Rep. Rudy Veit and former Jefferson City Council member Derrick Spicer.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two men were charged after they allegedly assaulted two people at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia on Saturday.

Jonathan Burdette Sr., of Lincoln Missouri, was charged with third-degree assault, resisting arrest; while Devin Burdette, of Lincoln, was charged with third-degree assault. Mugshots were not immediately available and court dates have not been scheduled. Bonds were set for both men at $5,000.

The probable cause statements say troopers were called to the carnival area of the fair on Saturday and saw two men running east. Law enforcement stopped the men and learned from carnival staff that Devin Burdette allegedly punched a woman and a fight ensued, the statement says.

Jonathan Burdette Sr. allegedly punched a man in his head, the statement says. Both victims had injuries, court documents say.

Devin Burdette was arrested without incident, while Jonathan Burdette Sr. resisted arrest and threatened to fight officers, the statement says.

Click here to follow the original article.