Jefferson City resident charged with evidence tampering

Rafael D. Hickmon, 29, of Jefferson City, has been charged with the Class E felony of tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution, accused of knowingly concealing shell casings in a shooting investigation.

At about 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Capital Region Medical Center notified the Jefferson City Police Department an individual was being treated for a gunshot wound, according to a JCPD probable cause statement.

The individual was uncooperative with law enforcement upon officers' arrival.

As the investigation continued, officers located the scene of the shooting in the 200 block of East Franklin Street and found four spent shell casings.

A JCPD detective contacted a nearby business Monday and obtained video of the shooting from the establishment's exterior cameras.

The detective stated he observed the shooting in the video and a suspect vehicle then pulled in to the 1000 block of Madison Street. A few minutes later, two individuals - one identified as the defendant - walked up to the scene and appeared to pick up spent shell casings in the street before leaving the area.

The detective located the suspect vehicle Wednesday and conducted a traffic stop. Hickmon was inside, and was detained and taken to the police department for questioning.

Hickmon denied being present during the shooting but admitted to being in the area later in the evening. Hickmon was arrested at 12:14 p.m. Wednesday. Bail was set at $50,000, cash only, without surety or 10 percent receipt authorized.

Special conditions of the defendant's bail also stipulate Hickmon must not have contact with the victim; submit to a urinary drug test upon request with or without probable cause; consent to any search of person, car being driven or place of residence at any time at the request of any law enforcement or probation officer; be placed on GPS monitoring; and be placed on electronic alcohol monitoring.