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Saturday, Jan 24, 2026
Outside the box.
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Michael Ryan Burke Killed in Columbia Facebook Marketplace Meetup; Four Suspects Charged
Police say the 42-year-old was shot on Ridgemont Court on Jan. 18, 2026, and three 18-year-olds plus a juvenile were later arrested and charged.
A 42-year-old Columbia, Missouri man, identified by police as Michael Ryan Burke, died after a shooting at his home during what investigators describe as a Facebook Marketplace meetup involving the attempted sale of a phone.
Police say officers responded to a shots-fired call on January 18, 2026, at about 8:15 p.m. in the 1400 block of Ridgemont Court, found Burke with gunshot wounds inside the residence, and he later died at a hospital.
Investigators allege Burke was trying to sell an iPhone when the encounter escalated into a robbery and shooting.
Authorities say Burke called 911 after he was shot and provided a description of the people involved before emergency responders arrived.
Family and friends have also described Burke sending a final message to close relatives in the minutes after the shooting.
Public accounts report that he texted his mother and sister a brief goodbye, with the message rendered as “I’m dying and I love you” in some reports and “I am dying, I love you” in others.
Police arrested four suspects on January 20, 2026: Alexis Baumann, Kobe Aust, and Joseph Crane—each 18 years old—and an unidentified male juvenile.
Prosecutors charged the three 18-year-olds and the juvenile with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree burglary in connection with Burke’s death.
The three adult defendants were reported held without bond at the Boone County Jail, and the juvenile was reported in custody at the Boone County Juvenile Office.
Confirmed vs unclear: Confirmed details include the victim’s identity and age (Michael Ryan Burke, 42), the incident date (January 18, 2026), the reported time (about 8:15 p.m.), the location (the 1400 block of Ridgemont Court in Columbia, Missouri), the alleged context (a Facebook Marketplace meetup tied to selling a phone), the arrests on January 20, 2026, and the core charges filed against all four suspects (second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree burglary).
What remains unclear is the exact wording of Burke’s final text as reproduced in public summaries, and the full set of additional counts beyond the core three charges, since public descriptions are not consistent on which defendants face weapons-related counts such as unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action.
Police say officers responded to a shots-fired call on January 18, 2026, at about 8:15 p.m. in the 1400 block of Ridgemont Court, found Burke with gunshot wounds inside the residence, and he later died at a hospital.
Investigators allege Burke was trying to sell an iPhone when the encounter escalated into a robbery and shooting.
Authorities say Burke called 911 after he was shot and provided a description of the people involved before emergency responders arrived.
Family and friends have also described Burke sending a final message to close relatives in the minutes after the shooting.
Public accounts report that he texted his mother and sister a brief goodbye, with the message rendered as “I’m dying and I love you” in some reports and “I am dying, I love you” in others.
Police arrested four suspects on January 20, 2026: Alexis Baumann, Kobe Aust, and Joseph Crane—each 18 years old—and an unidentified male juvenile.
Prosecutors charged the three 18-year-olds and the juvenile with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree burglary in connection with Burke’s death.
The three adult defendants were reported held without bond at the Boone County Jail, and the juvenile was reported in custody at the Boone County Juvenile Office.
Confirmed vs unclear: Confirmed details include the victim’s identity and age (Michael Ryan Burke, 42), the incident date (January 18, 2026), the reported time (about 8:15 p.m.), the location (the 1400 block of Ridgemont Court in Columbia, Missouri), the alleged context (a Facebook Marketplace meetup tied to selling a phone), the arrests on January 20, 2026, and the core charges filed against all four suspects (second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree burglary).
What remains unclear is the exact wording of Burke’s final text as reproduced in public summaries, and the full set of additional counts beyond the core three charges, since public descriptions are not consistent on which defendants face weapons-related counts such as unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action.
