Category: kmiz-local-news

Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Boone County dog breeder charged with several counts of animal abuse is asking a judge to let her out of jail without bond.

Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia, faced a Boone County judge for the first time Monday. She pleaded not guilty and had a bond hearing set for 1 p.m. Thursday.

If a bond is necessary, her attorney wrote in a court filing, it should be “reasonable.”

Sanders has been charged with three counts of felony animal abuse and 15 counts of misdemeanor animal abuse. She remains at the Boone County Jail without bond. 

Sanders owns Magnum Opus German Shepherds. Animal control, assisted by Boone County sheriff’s deputies, found 17 living but severely malnourished dogs, with two on the brink of death, according to court documents. Five “intact” dead dogs were found in black garbage bags along with about a dozen dog skulls.

Authorities also found four dead dogs outside the building.

Animal Control said it was called to the business after two different dog owners brought their dead dogs to a veterinarian for an autopsy after they died in Sanders care. The autopsy determined one dog died from strangulation and the other from starvation. Both dogs were boarded at the business at the time of its death, according to court documents.

Animal control was previously called to the business for reports of dogs dying in their care. Animal control officers had spoken to Sanders in the past about doing a walkthrough of the residence, but she was hesitant, court documents say.

Head of Boone County Animal Control Kevin Meyers tells ABC 17 News the previous visits were in June and September 2025. During those visits Meyers said the responding officer found no signs of animal abuse.

He said without hard visible evidence their power to act can be limited.

“We can approach the owner, let them know the complaint that we received and ask to see the animals in their living conditions,” Meyers said. “It’s totally up to them if they allow us in to do that, or what they allow us to see. By law, we can’t make them let us in without a warrant to search the property.”

Breeders have to register with the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Sanders was registered with the department as a ‘hobby or show breeder’. A registered property can only be checked if a complaint is filed. MoDAG said it has no history of Sanders property being inspected.

A disposition hearing will be held next Wednesday where Sander’s lawyers will argue why the dogs should be returned to her custody. Animal control will argue to the judge why the animals should be relinquished to the Central Missouri Humane Society for them to work out reconnecting the animals with their owners.

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Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 40-year-old Eldon man was badly hurt in a crash in a Tuscumbia Fire District brush truck in Miller County, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report.

The report states that the man was driving the truck east on Route A just east of Highway 17 just after 2 p.m. Sunday. The driver made a wide right turn, overcorrected and began to skid. The truck went off the left side of the road and rolled onto its top, the report states.

The 40-year-old Eldon man was flown to University Hospital with serious injuries, according to the report.

The brush truck was totaled. The man was wearing a seatbelt.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A trailer home in Holts Summit is considered a total loss after a fire on Sunday afternoon.

The fire happened in the 11000 block of County Road 391 around 3:40 p.m. in Holts Summit.

The Holts Summit Fire Department said in a release that crews found heavy smoke and flames showing from the front of the house.

Neighbors told firefighters a juvenile and multiple animals were inside the home, according to the release.

The juvenile, along with three dogs, safely exited the home, according to the department. One dog died in the fire.

The release states the fire took 45 minutes to bring under control, but crews remained on scene for several hours.

The Missouri State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

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Matthew Sanders

Things are not looking good for the Kansas City Chiefs’ postseason hopes.

The defending AFC West champs fell to 5-5 after a loss to the division-leading Broncos on Sunday in Denver. If the season ended today, the Chiefs would not make the playoffs.

Do you think they can rally to make the postseason this year? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo.

A woman claims that her German Shepherd is among the 16 dogs found alive at a Boone County dog breeders’ property, who was charged with several counts of animal abuse.

Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia is charged with a total of 18 counts of animal abuse, including three felonies and 15 misdemeanors.

Boone County Sheriff Deputies and Animal Control received a search warrant for Sanders’ property and business, Magnum Opus German Shepherds. Authorities found several dead dogs in various stages of decomposition and dog skulls in bags.

Wilson said her dog, Eri, was rescued and is now being held at the Central Missouri Humane Society as “evidence.”

“I am thankful that she was spared and that she is alive. She’s not in good condition, but I’m glad she is still here with us,” Wilson said.

Wilson said she and Sanders were best friends, and Sanders had co-ownership of Eri for breeding and boarding purposes. She said a friend told her authorities found several dead dogs on Sanders’ property Thursday, and she reached out to Animal Control to see if they had Eri.

“The animal control officer sighed a big sigh of relief and said she was one of the two German Shepherds found alive,” Wilson said.

Eri was “severely” starved and pregnant, Wilson said, but she was alive.

Wilson lives in the St. Louis area, and was regularly texting Sanders. She said she had no idea what Sanders was doing, and never would have trusted her with Eri had she known.

“I truly think that at one point she did care a lot about her animals. I saw it, I saw that she cared. And I don’t know what happened, if anything happened. I don’t know if she was always like this, but I’m just disgusted that I called her my friend,” Wilson said.

Wilson created a Facebook page to try to get other dog owners connected to the dogs found at Sanders’ property.

She said she also created a Google Form to help people locate their dogs that went missing or were rehomed while in Sanders’ care. Wilson told ABC 17 News she received over 20 people who are looking for their missing dog, and has 10 or fewer submissions for dogs who have been re-homed.

Wilson claims animal control has access to the Google Form as well.

Tiffany Barboud bought her dog, Fenrir, two years ago from Sanders and she said she was shocked to hear the news.

“From my experience with her, definitely would never have made me guess that something like this would happen,” Barboud said.

Barboud said Sanders was knowledgeable about dogs and didn’t suspect anything when she visited Sanders’ home two years ago.

“The house was relatively clean for having that many dogs in the house, all the dogs looked well fed, taken care of,” Barboud said. “Everything pointed towards just a good, ethical breeder. I didn’t see any warning signs.”

ABC 17 News reached out to Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services.

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Nia Hinson

BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone County firefighters battled a fire at a small metal building on Sunday night.

The Boone County Fire Protection District was called to the 1400 block of north Boothe Lane just before 8 p.m. Sunday. Firefighters found fire coming from the inside of a small metal building but were able to bring the fire under control within roughly 15 minutes, according to a BCFPD firefighter on scene.

Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp told ABC 17 News in a text message that a truck and tractor inside of the building were saved. No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

An ABC 17 News reporter on scene saw several Boone County firefighters checking for hotspots in the area around 9 p.m.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council is expected to revisit a controversial ordinance Monday that targets pedestrians standing on medians on a majority of city roads.

The ordinance would regulate the use of medians, road crossings, and islands by both motorists and pedestrians at intersections with speeds of 35 mph or greater, average daily traffic volumes of 15,000 vehicles or greater, or where the median width is fewer than 6 feet wide.

If adopted, the ordinance will:

Prohibit crossing a major road anywhere except in a crosswalk, a pedestrian-control signal, or an intersection if those things aren’t available.

Prohibit being on a median less than 6 feet wide except when crossing the road.

Prohibit getting out of cars while in a traffic lane or within a major intersection.

Prohibit approaching cars on a major road unless the car is legally parked.

Prohibit people in vehicles from engaging with pedestrians at major intersections.

Critics of the ordinance include Ward 3 council member Jacque Sample, who requested to delay voting on the ordinance until a later date. Students in the Young Democratic Socialists of America also voiced concern over the rule, calling it “irrelevant” to addressing gun violence. This came after MU President Choi proposed plans to reform homelessness in the city following the death of Stephens College student Ayanna Williams, who was shot and killed downtown in late September.

According to previous reporting, the City Council plans to table the vote on the ordinance on Monday, with the council instead reviewing and discussing a pedestrian study report on roads in the area.

Supplemental – Street and Intersection Pedestrian Safety Study (Final)Download

The study also found that from 2019 to 2023, 32% of deadly crashes in Columbia were pedestrian-related, which is higher than the national and state rates.

In Missouri, pedestrian and bicycle deaths increased by 77% while other traffic fatalities increased by 40% between 2012 and 2022.

According to city documents, the ordinance is on second reading and vote, with the Public Works Department suggesting to adopt the rule. The Council can vote on an ordinance after it has been read three times for public notice.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia woman who says worked with breeder Melissa Sanders at Columbia Second Chance, claims she noticed and reported concerning behaviors to the organization.

Melissa Sanders

Torre Taylor, a former manager at Columbia Second Chance, said Sanders was contracted to train dogs in April. Taylor said she noticed what she said were concerning behaviors, like intensely correcting dogs. But Taylor said it wasn’t until a Columbia Second Chance dog was left in Sanders’ care, that she reported her concerns to her supervisor.

“I was letting my supervisor know that I had some real concerns about Melissa,” Taylor said.

Taylor says she worked at Columbia Second Chance for around five years. She told ABC 17, the dog, Galoshes, went to Sanders’ home for two weeks over the summer. She claimed Galoshes weighed about 80 pounds and came out around 60 pounds. Taylor also said the dog’s teeth had been “severely filed down”. She said it was possible he was chewing on the kennel or trying to eat hard objects.

Taylor said Galoshes was previously in a foster home and had some wear on his teeth, but she claims it got “dramatically worse” while in Sander’s care. Taylor said she reported her concerns verbally four times and sent a letter voicing her concerns, about potential abuse.

“I directly did tell some of the staff that you need to go and inspect this facility, something’s wrong, something’s going on there,” Taylor said. “Unfortunately, again, nothing came about after I voiced my concerns.”

Sanders was charged with 18 counts of animal abuse on Friday, after the Boone County Sheriff’s Office and Animal Control searched her home and place of business, Magnum Opus German Shepherds LLC. Authorities said they found 16 living dogs and several dead dogs, according to previous reporting. Court documents state many dogs were malnourished and lacking access to food and water.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Columbia Second Chance said the organization wasn’t aware of these allegations saying, “We are deeply saddened and disturbed by the recent charges of animal abuse filed against a former contract service provider who briefly conducted training sessions under our supervision. At Second Chance, the safety and well-being of the animals in our care is—and always will be—our highest priority. We want to be absolutely clear: had we known of any concerns, allegations, or behavior of this nature, we never would have engaged her services. Every training session conducted was directly supervised by our staff or committees, and no aversive tools or techniques were permitted,” the post reads.

The Facebook post also said Sanders was immediately terminated from working with Columbia Second Chance. Second Chance Executive Director Giulia Hall said in an email to ABC 17, that she is aware of Taylor’s claims, but refutes them.

“Our rescue is deeply committed to the health, safety, and humane treatment of all animals in our care. We are aware of the statements made by a former employee, Torre, which are factually incorrect,” Hall said. “The specific allegations of knowledge of animal abuse are false. Out of respect for the legal process and to ensure the integrity of our organization’s operations, we cannot discuss personnel matters or ongoing internal investigations in detail,” Hall wrote.

Hall claims Taylor did not report abuse during her time with the organization and said, “her concerns were based on techniques used, and general concerns of differing personality.”

Taylor said she never got a response to her letter, but Hall acknowledged it was received.

“We did receive the resignation letter, however, those concerns mentioned were vague, but addressed with Melissa directly at the time. No concerning behavior was observed with Second Chance animals, as all sessions were attended by a senior member of SC,” Hall wrote.

Hall also said she talked with Sanders about the concerns Taylor brought up.

Sanders is being held in the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not yet been set.

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Nia Hinson

GASCONADE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

One person is dead and another seriously injured after a motorcycle crash in Gasconade County Saturday evening, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report.

The report says the crash occurred on U.S. 50, half a mile east of Cave Hill Road, shortly after 5 p.m. on Saturday.

A 2007 Kawasaki – driven by a 66-year-old Washington man – was heading eastbound on Highway 50 when it hit a deer that entered the roadway, the report says.

The man was flown to Mercy Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The passenger – a 51-year-old Washington woman – was taken to Mercy Hospital by ambulance with serious injuries.

According to the report, both the man and the woman were wearing helmets. The motorcycle was totaled in the crash.

MSHP Troop F said it was investigating a deadly motorcycle crash in Gasconade County in a post on X Saturday night.

🚨Fatal Crash in Gasconade County🚨

Troopers are on scene of a one vehicle motorcycle crash on U.S. 50, near Cave Hill Road.

The roadway is open, but please be careful when traveling through the area as first responders are still on scene completing their investigation. pic.twitter.com/MXDpo4zOMH

— MSHP Troop F (@MSHPTrooperF) November 16, 2025

Troopers were still on scene around 10 p.m on Saturday, the post says.

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Nia Hinson

RANDOLPH COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A seven-year-old boy from Moberly was seriously injured in a crash in Randolph County Friday night.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the crash occurred on U.S. 63 in Moberly around 5:15 p.m. A 16-year-old Moberly girl was driving a 2000 Ford Ranger when the truck traveled off the road.

The girl overcorrected and the truck flipped over, the report says. The vehicle then hit a guardrail and the passenger in the truck– a seven-year-old boy from Moberly– was ejected.

The boy was taken to University Hospital with serious injuries. The girl suffered moderate injuries.

According to the report, neither person was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

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