Columbia Man Pleaded Guilty for 2022 Killing

A Columbia man has pleaded guilty in the 2022 killing of a woman whose body was found hidden in a closet.

40-year-old Adam Conner admitted to second-degree murder Friday in Boone County court. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors dropped charges of evidence tampering and armed criminal action.

Investigators say Conner killed Patricia Kelly, his mother’s roommate, who had mental and physical disabilities, at a home on High Quest Drive.

Police discovered Kelly’s body after her mother reported her missing, finding signs of blunt-force trauma and evidence linked to Conner. The state is recommending a 30-year prison sentence. Judge Stephanie Morrell says Conner will likely receive credit for time served.