Category: kmiz-local-news

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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Matthew Sanders

The United States has entered the fray against Iran, using B-2 stealth bombers from Missouri to drop the world’s biggest conventional bombs on nuclear enrichment facilities in Iran over the weekend.

President Donald Trump said in an address to the nation Saturday night that the strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. But with the secretive Middle Eastern regime’s underground facilities, it’s hard to know what was left after the smoke cleared that Iran can work with to rebuild.

Trump left the possibility of more strikes on the country open. But opinion is sharply divided about whether the United States should be stepping into the conflict between Israel and Iran in the first place.

Do you think we should continue strikes against Iran? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Nia Hinson

PHELPS COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Dixon man was seriously injured when the vehicle he was driving flipped over in Phelps County.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the crash occurred on Saturday just after 8 p.m. on Highway M, about 6 miles west of Edgar Springs. The 34-year-old man was driving a 2001 Nissan Frontier when the vehicle failed to negotiate a left turn– traveled off the left side of the road– flipped over– and struck a fence.

The man was taken to University Hospital in Columbia with serious injuries.

Two passengers in the vehicle– a 3-year-old boy and 31-year-old woman from Dixon– suffered minor injuries in the crash.

According to the report, the boy and driver of the vehicle were not wearing seatbelts when the crash occurred.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 16-year-old boy from Sedalia was killed when the jet ski he was riding on crashed Saturday afternoon.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol incident report, the boy was riding the jet ski around 2:45 p.m. near Clevenger Cove in Taney County, when the vehicle collided with another jet ski head-on. The boy was pronounced dead on scene.

The driver of the other vehicle– a 19-year-old man from Ozark– was not injured in the crash.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo, (KMIZ)

After the United States made its move overnight in the Israel-Iran conflict, Missouri Lawmakers are reacting.

President Donald Trump announced in an address to the nation Saturday night that U.S. B-2 stealth bombers successfully destroyed Iran’s three nuclear enrichment sites: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.

“Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror,” Trump said.

U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) shared his support of the strike dubbed ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’ in a post on X shortly after the President’s address calling Trump a “foreign policy realist.”

“He has taken limited military action to achieve a crucial objective that is in the core national interest of the United States: preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons,” the post reads.

President Trump is a foreign policy realist not an ideologue. He has taken limited military action to achieve a crucial objective that is in the core national interest of the United States: preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

He doesn’t want another Forever War. He…

— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) June 22, 2025

In an interview with ABC 17 News following the President’s announcement of the attack, U.S. Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) said that this attack was needed to put a stop to the Ayatollah Regime’s terror.

“They are intent on developing nuclear weapons. They believe that Israel is the little Satan in the United States of America is a greatER Satan, and so would not stop with Israel, I think they would come after us next,” Alford said.

According to the Associated Press, the B-2 stealth bombers that dropped the bunker buster bombs made their return to the Whiteman Air Force Base in Johnson County, Missouri on Sunday. U.S. officials say about a dozen B-2 bombers deployed from the base early Saturday morning, half of them heading west toward guam as a decoy group. Seven more stealth bombers deployed not long after heading eat directly towards Iran.

U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO) praised the skill and bravery of the Missouri airmen, in a social media post on X, but shared his criticisms towards the President’s decisions.

“Launching airstrikes without consulting Congress, without a clear strategy, and without providing transparency to the American people is not an acceptable path forward,” the post read.

I’m grateful that no American service members were harmed in this strike, and proud of the skill and bravery of the Missouri-based airmen and airwomen who carried out their mission. Our troops always deserve our respect, no matter who is president.

I never for a second doubted… pic.twitter.com/YQZ2c4VrNE

— Congressman Wesley Bell (@RepWesleyBellMO) June 22, 2025

State Rep. David Tyson-Smith (MO-D) also showed his support for the airmen that completed the attack in a statement shared with ABC 17 News:

“Although I am not a proponent of starting a war with Iran and the global ramifications that could unleash, I support our brave airmen of Whiteman AFB and am grateful they are safe after completing their mission,” Tyson-Smith said.

President Trump also issued a warning to Iranian leaders in his Saturday night address.

“Iran the bully of the middle east must now make peace. If they do not future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier,” Trump said.

Iran has denied any significant damage done, and the Islamic Republic pledged to retaliate, according to the Associated Press.

The U.S. Department of State issued a worldwide security alert on Sunday. The alert cautioned Americans overseas or planning to travel overseas of possible targeting.

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe also issued an alert to all Missourians asking to report suspicious activity to local law enforcement authorities amid rising tensions.

Gov. Kehoe said in a social media post, the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) has already notified every law enforcement agency in the state of this heightened sense of awareness as well as all state trained Terrorism Liaison Officers. Besides local law enforcement the governor is asking Missourians to also report suspicious activity and threats of violence, including online threats, to FBI Field Offices, or the Missouri Fusion Center – MIAC.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 70-year-old Camdenton man died Saturday after a car crash in Camden County, according to a report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. on Highway 7 east of Velvet Antler Road.

The man was driving a 2011 Ram S35 when he drove off the right of the road, crossed over, then drove off the left of the road, the report states. The vehicle was then thrown into the air before crashing into a tree.

The man was thrown from the vehicle and taken to Lake Regional Hospital where he later died. He was not wearing a seatbelt, the release says.

This is Troop F’s second fatal crash in June and 18th in 2025.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Montgomery County Fire Protection District battled intense flames Saturday night to put out a hog barn fire on White Road, according to a Facebook post.

The press release says fire crews were called to the barn around 8:20 p.m. Since there were other barns nearby, crews focused on preventing the fire from spreading.

Some pigs died in the fire and the barn’s roof collapsed before crews arrived at the scene, the release states. No people were hurt.

MCFPD contained the fire with assistance from several emergency response crews, including the Wellsville, Middletown Community, Bellflower and New Florence Fire Protection Districts.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The National Drowning Prevention Alliance reminded people of proper water safety in in lakes and rivers in a Facebook post Saturday. The group said it can take as little as one minute for an adult to drown.

According to Stop Drowning Now and the U.S. Fire Administration, drownings are preventable. Around 10 people in the U.S. drown each day, and drownings are the leading cause of death for children four and under.

Open water, such as lakes and rivers, also pose an additional threat due to strong currents, sharp rocks and hard-to-see bottoms that can be dangerous for people jumping in.

For children, it’s highly recommended to know how to float and to take swimming lessons. Formal lessons reportedly reduce the risk of drowning by 88%.

Parents are also encouraged to put down any distractions and stay alert when watching their child in water. Parents should be within an arm’s reach of any toddler in the water. It is recommended children wear a bright pink or orange swimsuit to make them easier to spot. Additionally, a Coast Guard-approved life vest is recommended for any open water.

The NDPA recommends always swimming with a partner, especially when a lifeguard isn’t present. Swimming under the influence also increases the risk of drowning due to substances causing disorientation.

Pool owners are encouraged to have a four-sided fence enclosing the pool to prevent children from falling in or swimming without adult supervision.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

With temperatures heating things up across Mid-Missouri, ABC 17 News looked into how how pet owners can keep their furry friend cool.

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team is tracking heat index values in the triple digits across the region through Tuesday.

The Humane Society of Missouri recommends on days when temperatures reach more than 90 degrees, to keep pets indoors as much as possible. However, Saturday’s high heat did not stop dog owners from getting out to Twin Lakes Dog Park in Columbia.

ABC 17 News spoke to dog owners about how they keep their dogs cool. Timothy Goretti, a dog owner, said a lot of water and swimming is key for his dog.

“If it’s a real hot day and he won’t even come out here, we’ll just spray the hose at him and he runs around it does his thing,” Goretti said. “If I know he’s going to be hot and out in public, we got water.”

Hannah McGrath, another dog owner, said on days when it’s extra hot she tries to keep her dogs outside for no more than 30 minutes at a time.

“She is a double coated dog because she’s mixed with a shepherd, so she gets extremely hot in the heat,” McGrath said.

McGrath also discussed the importance of grooming her dog in the warmer months due to its thick fur.

“Periodically, because she is a big swimmer, she gets a little musty smelling. So we typically take her to like, a dog wash and then I brush her myself with just like, undercoat, brushes and everything,” McGrath said.

According to the Humane Society of Missouri, if your pet is displaying symptoms of heat-related sickness, place a cool and wet towel around their neck. You can also pour cool water over their body.

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