A well-known Columbia minister is devastated by this weekend’s shooting death of Stephens College senior nursing student Aiyanna Williams, a Columbia Battle high school graduate.
23-year-old Misael Covarrubias of Florida is charged with second degree murder and numerous other felonies for the triple shooting downtown. The Rev. James Gray tells 939 the Eagle that he wants to see Covarrubias receive a long prison sentence, not just a few years behind bars:
“We need to send a message and let folks know if you come to our community and number one do stuff, then you are going to have to pay for it. And then we’ve got to come back with our laws. Littering downtown, noise ordinance downtown. We’ve got to just make them tougher,” Rev. Gray says.
He describes Aiyanna Williams as a hard worker who helped others. Stephens College president Dr. Shannon Lundeen says their hearts are broken, describing Aiyanna as a “shining Stephens woman whose kindness, drive and joy inspired everyone who knew her.”
Rev. Gray works closely with families of murder victims. He was at Mizzou’s Jesse Hall for UM System President Dr. Mun Choi’s press conference this week. Rev. Gray broke down in tears, when speaking to 939 the Eagle about Aiyanna and her relationship with God. Rev. Gray describes her as a sweet young lady who didn’t deserve this:
“Raised by good family. A good girl, worked hard and just wanted to love. The best thing that you would hear from everybody was her relationship with God and how she tried to help other people with that,” Rev. Gray says.
President Choi says Aiyanna worked part-time at Columbia-based MU Health Care.