April Columbia murder trial delayed

30-year-old Staffone Fountain, who’s charged with first degree murder, remains jailed without bond in Boone County (photo courtesy of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department website)

The trial of a man accused of killing his infant daughter and putting her remains in a tire near Columbia’s McKnight Tire north of I-70 has been delayed.

Boone County Circuit Judge Kevin Crane has approved a joint motion for continuance from the prosecution and the defense. 30-year-old Staffone Fountain is charged with first degree murder and abandonment of a corpse. Fountain appeared in court on Monday via video from the Boone County jail with his attorney, Jennifer Bukowsky. Boone County assistant prosecutor Susan Boresi tells 939 the Eagle that she and Counselor Bukowsky agree that more discovery needs to be done before the case is ready for trial

Fountain is charged with killing his infant, Samone Daniels. He and defense attorney Bukowsky requested that Judge Crane dismiss the abandonment of a corpse charge on Monday. Judge Crane denied that motion.

Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones says investigators believe the infant had been in the tire since 2017.