Jefferson City man murdered in first hour of new year

Jeffrey Millens Jr.
Jeffrey Millens Jr.

A Jefferson City man faces second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges following the murder of another man early Sunday morning.

Police said Jeffrey Millens, 22, Jefferson City, also faces a charge for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Police reported Sunday they were called just after 1 a.m. to the 900 block of East Capitol Avenue, for a shooting in a home just east of the former Missouri State Penitentiary property.

When officers arrived, they found Quonterio Davis, 23, Jefferson City, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken immediately to an area hospital, where he later was pronounced dead.

Responding officers also found a number of other people in the residence.

Detectives were called to the scene to investigate, and determined that Millens was responsible for the shooting, and had fled the scene.

Based on information obtained in their investigation, officers determined Millens was in the area of Hawthorn Parkway and Linden Drive - near South School and about two miles from the murder scene.

Police said Millens was located and taken into custody without incident.

He was being held Monday in the Cole County Jail, with no bond set.

The police investigation is continuing.

Police reported Sunday they believe that Davis and Millens "were acquainted in some manner," but the extent of that relationship and the possible motive for the early New Year's Day shooting still are not clear.

Court documents show a Cole County Grand Jury indicted Davis with one count of hindering prosecution in the case of a March 2016 shooting in the Capital City.

A Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement in that case shows officers were called to St. Mary's Hospital after three males came in with gunshot wounds.

When the officers attempted to speak with the men, they refused to give any information about what had happened to them.

A few days later, one of the victims contacted police saying he had been in a parking lot in the 2400 block of Missouri Boulevard, speaking with others when a dark vehicle approached the group.

Police said Davis was driving the vehicle while a passenger began to shoot at the victim and others.

When questioned, Davis admitted driving while a passenger was shooting out of the passenger-side window.

But, Davis told police last year, he had been unaware the passenger was armed or that he was going to shoot.

Police also said last year, and court records show, that Davis had an extensive criminal history in Missouri and Tennessee.