Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Sedalia is expected to interview four candidates on Monday evening for the open Ward 1 seat.

A Facebook post from the city shows that it will interview Adam Porter, Cheryl Ames, Jason Michael Joy and Virginia Kaye Brainard. The interviews will be livestreamed at 6 p.m.

Tom Oldham stepped down from his position in April after “serious allegations” were brought against him, the City of Sedalia wrote in a social media post. The city did not elaborate on the allegations in the post or in communications with ABC 17 News.

Pettis County Sheriff Brad Anders told ABC 17 News in emails that his office is investigating Oldham. The criminal investigation includes the possible sexual harassment of a youth. Oldham was recently reelected to his seat in the April 8 race.

The Facebook post on Monday stated that all four candidates filled out an application.

The city had stated in April that it would follow state statutes, allowing the mayor to make an appointment to the council, with council approval.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Mexico, Missouri, man who was found guilty in April of 10 child sex crimes has been sentenced.  

John Sidney Kelly Jr., 43, was sentenced on Monday to three consecutive life sentences for statutory rape, child molestation and other charges.

He was charged in the case with first-degree rape, first-degree child molestation, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, one count of second-degree statutory rape, fourth-degree child molestation, second-degree rape, statutory sodomy of a person younger than 14 years old and third-degree child molestation.

He abused the victims from 2012-19, a press release from the Audrain County prosecutor’s office says.

“These sentences show the power of victims who are protected, believed and taken seriously,” Audrain County Prosecutor Jacob Shellabarger said in the release. “Audrain County jurors heard the truth of John Kelly Jr.’s horrific abuse of these two strong young women. Although it took a long time, justice arrived. John Kelly will never walk free again to harm another child.”

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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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