On the morning of November 14, 2022, officers in Columbia, Missouri, responded to the 2700 block of Blue Ridge Road after reports of a suspicious vehicle. A car was found running with its lights on; inside officers discovered 42-year-old April Joann Brooks dead from an apparent gunshot wound. A child had been inside the vehicle at the time but was not physically harmed.

Detectives identified 31-year-old Montez Lee Williams as a suspect; he and Brooks had been in a relationship and were reportedly arguing inside the car before the shooting. Williams led police on a high-speed pursuit after Brooks was found and discarded a silver handgun during the chase before being taken into custody. He faced multiple charges including murder, unlawful use of a weapon, child endangerment, and resisting arrest. Williams later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and resisting arrest and received a 30-year sentence with a required 85 percent served before parole eligibility.

Did anyone in Columbia see the vehicle on Blue Ridge Road that morning or have information about Brooks and Williams’ relationship?