Boone County Circuit Judge Jeff Harris

High-profile Columbia murder suspect in court today; jury trial to begin in late February

January 19, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

41-year-old Keith Comfort’s jury trial is set to begin on February 27, 2023 (undated photo courtesy of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department website)

A Columbia man who’s scheduled to go on trial in February for the high-profile murder of his wife will appear in court this (Thursday) afternoon.

41-year-old Keith Comfort’s pre-trial conference is set for 1:30 in Boone County Circuit Court, before Judge Jeff Harris.

Comfort is charged with second degree murder for the 2006 death of his wife, Megan Shultz. Her body was found in the city landfill years later, after a lengthy search by Columbia Police. Prosecutors say Comfort strangled his wife to death, before placing her body in an apartment dumpster on Amelia, near Stephens Lake park.

Judge Harris has scheduled the jury trial to begin on February 27.

High-profile Columbia murder suspect in court today; jury trial to begin in late February

January 19, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

41-year-old Keith Comfort’s jury trial is set to begin on February 27, 2023 (undated photo courtesy of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department website)

A Columbia man who’s scheduled to go on trial in February for the high-profile murder of his wife will appear in court this (Thursday) afternoon.

41-year-old Keith Comfort’s pre-trial conference is set for 1:30 in Boone County Circuit Court, before Judge Jeff Harris.

Judge Harris has scheduled the jury trial to begin on February 27.

Sentencing postponed in Columbia kidnapping and sexual assault case

November 1, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

26-year-old Xavier Blake Gee has been convicted of seven felony counts (2022 photo courtesy of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department website)

Sentencing has been delayed for a Columbia man convicted of robbing and sexually assaulting two area sex workers in separate incidents.

26-year-old Xavier Gee was set to be sentenced Tuesday afternoon, but it’s been continued until later because Boone County Circuit Judge Jeff Harris cannot appear in-person today. The sentencing hearing will be rescheduled.

A Boone County jury is recommending a 67-year prison sentence for Gee. The jury convicted Gee of seven felony counts, including kidnapping, first degree rape and first degree sodomy.

Prosecutors say Gee recorded one of the sexual assaults on his phone. 939 the Eagle News was in the courtroom for the trial when a television monitor was turned around to face the jury, Judge Harris, Boone County assistant prosecutor Nick Komoroski and defense attorney Kevin O’Brien. The video was played in court, and a 939 the Eagle reporter could only hear audio. Gee wrote notes on a notepad, as the video played in court.

Gee took the witness stand during the trial’s penalty phase, saying he is remorseful and that his actions were due to his significant drug use at the time.

November sentencing date set for Columbia kidnapping and rape suspect

October 17, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

35-year-old Raymond Williams has been convicted in Boone County of kidnapping, rape, sodomy and two other felonies
(undated jail photo courtesy of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department website)

A man convicted of kidnapping and sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend in Columbia in 2019 faces a potential life prison sentence.

Boone County Circuit Judge Jeff Harris has scheduled a November 3 sentencing date for 35-year-old Raymond Charles Williams of Jefferson City. Williams was convicted of five felonies after a September bench trial before Judge Harris: kidnapping, rape, sodomy, armed criminal action and domestic assault.

A bench trial is a trial by a judge, rather than a trial by jury.

The incident happened after the victim broke up with Williams the night before. Court documents also indicate Williams punched her in the face six or seven times, breaking her nose and cheek bone.

The victim says Williams had threatened to kill her many times in the past. The Columbia Police Department’s probable cause statement in the case describes Williams as “a danger to the community,” adding that he’s “aggressive and physically violent.”

UPDATE: Convicted Columbia rapist and kidnapper to be sentenced in November

September 23, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

A Boone County judge has scheduled a November 1 sentencing date for a Columbia man convicted of robbing and sexually assaulting two different Columbia women.

26-year-old Xavier Blake Gee was convicted earlier this month of first degree rape, first degree sodomy, kidnapping and four other felonies. A Boone County jury is recommending a 67-year prison sentence.

The three-day trial was emotional, and there was tight security inside and around the courtroom.

Gee videotaped one of the sexual assaults with his phone, and that video was shown to the jury in court.

The two victims were sex workers, and both testified against Gee during the trial. One of them looked Gee straight in the eye during the penalty phase, telling him “You took my life away from me.” Gee testified at the trial’s penalty phase that he is remorseful, and blamed both incidents on his drug use. He admitted to be a regular drug user at the time. Boone County assistant prosecutor Nick Komoroski wasn’t moved by those comments, telling the jury that Gee is not remorseful.