On the night of February 28, 2015, a violent tragedy unfolded at a residence on Santa Anna Drive in Boone County, just east of Columbia, Missouri. Law enforcement officers were called to the scene around 10 p.m. following reports of gunfire at the duplex where several individuals resided together. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a horrific scene involving three victims who had been shot inside the home and in the driveway. Among them was 44-year-old male Willie J.
Mays, who had sustained a critical gunshot wound to the head but was still alive when emergency responders arrived.
Two other victims, identified as 53-year-old Deborah W. Koontz and her brother, 51-year-old Donald R. Wilson, were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators determined that the gunfire was the result of a violent outburst by a roommate living at the same address. Willie Mays was rushed to University Hospital for emergency treatment. Although he initially survived the trauma and was reported to have been treated and released or transferred for care, his condition remained precarious due to the severity of his injuries.
The suspect was identified as 28-year-old Cornelius 'C.J.' Parker, who had fled the residence in a white four-door vehicle immediately after the shooting. A frantic manhunt ensued as deputies spotted the suspect's vehicle and initiated a pursuit. The chase ended when Parker lost control of his car and spun out near the intersection of Highway 63 and Broadway. After exiting the vehicle, Parker exchanged gunfire with a Boone County Sheriff's deputy. During the confrontation, the deputy shot and killed Parker, ending the immediate threat to the community.
While the investigation into the motive and the officer-involved shooting continued, Willie Mays fought for his life for several months. Despite surviving the initial attack that claimed the lives of his housemates, he never fully recovered from the gunshot wound he received that winter night. He ultimately succumbed to his injuries and died on June 4, 2015, becoming the third fatality of the incident. Authorities later cleared the deputy involved in the shooting of the suspect, deeming the use of force justified given the lethal threat Parker posed.
