On the evening of December 30, 2021, a violent disturbance erupted at an apartment complex on the 700 block of West Dodson Street in Kirksville, Missouri. Authorities responded to reports of shots fired and discovered a chaotic scene involving multiple victims. Among those critically injured was Braxton Cottrill, a 22-year-old White male who had sustained severe gunshot wounds during the altercation.
Emergency responders transported him to University Hospital in Columbia for urgent medical treatment, but he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival. The incident, which police described as a targeted attack where the suspects and victims were acquainted, shocked the local community due to the age and vulnerability of the other victims involved.
The shooting claimed not only Cottrill’s life but also that of an 18-month-old toddler named Parker Sizemore, who was found deceased at the scene. Another victim, 18-year-old Alissa Anders, was struck by gunfire while pregnant; she was hospitalized in critical condition and doctors successfully delivered her baby via emergency C-section. Tragically, Anders succumbed to her injuries weeks later in January 2022. A fourth individual, Randall Yarrington, was treated for gunshot wounds and survived. Investigators quickly identified two suspects, Anquan 'AJ' Glover and Ray Rijos, both residents of Kirksville, sparking a search that led to their eventual arrests.
The legal proceedings against the two men concluded with significant convictions. Ray Rijos faced a jury trial in Adair County in January 2023, where he was found guilty on multiple felony counts, including three counts of second-degree murder. He was subsequently sentenced to serve life in the Missouri Department of Corrections. His co-defendant, Anquan Glover, avoided a trial that was scheduled for June 2023 by reaching a plea agreement. Glover pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. Under the terms of his deal, he faces a minimum of 30 years in prison, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for early 2025.
