An October murder trial has been set for a Columbia man charged with shooting a man to death in 2021 and then fleeing to Iowa.
Boone County Circuit Judge Jeff Harris has scheduled the trial for 39-year-old Mark Alan Achterberg for October 1 through October 4. Achterberg is charged in Boone County Circuit Court with first degree murder and armed criminal action. He’s accused of shooting and killing Justin Stidham in November 2021.
939 the Eagle News was in Boone County Circuit Court for Tuesday’s brief hearing for Achterberg, who is represented by public defender Kevin O’Brien. Achterberg appeared before Judge Harris via video from the Montgomery County jail, where he is incarcerated. He wore an orange and white jail jumpsuit.
Achterberg was captured by authorities in the Hawkeye state, after the 2021 homicide. The court has rejected bond for Achterberg, citing the first degree murder charge, his criminal history dating to 2004 and that Achterberg had to be extradited back to Missouri from Iowa.
