Columbia Achterberg murder trial likely to happen in near future

A trial date is expected to be set soon for a Columbia man charged with killing a man in 2021 and then fleeing to Iowa, before being captured.

38-year-old Mark Alan Achterberg is charged in Boone County with first degree murder and armed criminal action for the November 2021 shooting death of Justin Stidham north of Columbia.

Boone County Circuit Judge Jeff Harris has given Boone County assistant prosecutor Nick Komoroski and defense attorney Kevin O’Brien a deadline of today to submit available dates for trial and the anticipated duration of the trial.

Achterberg remains jailed this morning without bond. He was captured by authorities in the Hawkeye state, after the homicide. The court has denied bond for Achterberg, citing the first degree murder charge, his record of convictions dating to 2004 and that Achterberg had to be extradited back to Missouri from Iowa.