Missouri
Missouri Supreme Court halts release of man from prison after overturned conviction
The Missouri Supreme Court halted the release of a man whose murder conviction was overturned this week, hours before he was due to be set free after spending over 30 years in prison.
Christopher Dunn, 52, was ordered by St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Jason Sengheiser to be released on Wednesday by 6 p.m., according to court documents, an order that Missouri’s Attorney General Andrew Bailey had been fighting.
Just as Dunn’s paperwork for release was being completed, the Missouri Department of Corrections received word that the Missouri Supreme Court had vacated the order, and a stay is currently in place. Dunn remains in custody and no further action is expected to occur before Monday, Missouri Department of Corrections Communications Director Karen Pojmann confirmed to USA TODAY.
The Associated Press reported that Dunn’s wife was on her way to pick him up.
Here’s what to know about Dunn’s case and overturned release order from prison.
Jan. 6: Two Jan. 6 rioters named by USA TODAY are now in prison
Why was Christopher Dunn in prison?
Dunn, who is Black, had been in prison since 1991 and was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1990 shooting of 15-year-old Ricco Rogers. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
He was 18 at the time and was convicted largely on testimony from two boys, ages 12 and 14, who both later recanted their testimonies and said they had been coerced by prosecutors and police, the Missouri Independent reported.
Why was Christopher Dunn’s conviction overturned then release blocked?
Dunn was convicted of murder and assault in 1991, but Sengheiser overturned that on Monday, finding that “in light of the new evidence, no juror, acting reasonably, would have voted to find Dunn guilty of these crimes beyond a reasonable doubt,” the Missouri Independent reported.
Judge William Hickle agreed at a 2020 evidentiary hearing that a jury would likely find Dunn not guilty based on new evidence, ABC News reported. Hickle did not exonerate Dunn, however, citing the 2016 Missouri Supreme Court ruling from Lincoln v. Cassady that only death row inmates can make an innocence claim.
But even after Sengheiser ordered Dunn to be released on Wednesday, Bailey appealed the ruling and the Missouri Department of Corrections denied his release while the agency waits for ruling on the appeal, NPR reported.
Contributing: Missouri Independent
Missouri
Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for Jan. 8, 2026
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 8, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing
Midday: 3-5-3
Midday Wild: 9
Evening: 6-3-9
Evening Wild: 3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing
Midday: 7-1-3-4
Midday Wild: 4
Evening: 9-6-9-8
Evening Wild: 9
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 8 drawing
27-28-39-47-58, Cash Ball: 04
Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 8 drawing
Early Bird: 14
Morning: 07
Matinee: 06
Prime Time: 07
Night Owl: 11
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 8 drawing
02-26-28-29-34
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Missouri
Missouri Democrats vow to fight increased taxes on sales or services
Missouri lawmakers returned to work Wednesday, Jan. 7, to kick off the 2026 legislative session, with Republicans determined to eliminate the state income tax and Democrats vowing to oppose any effort to replace it with increased taxes on sales or services.
Missing from the first day were the partisan fireworks that defined the end of last year’s session and a special session in September. Instead, both the House and Senate functioned normally on Wednesday, quickly running through motions of a first-day and adjourning with little fanfare.
But the partisan schism simmered under the surface.
Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe is pushing for elimination of the state’s income tax and is expecting to lay out his plan next week when he speaks to a joint session of the legislature for his annual State of the State address.
Democrats — still smarting from last year’s GOP moves to cut off debate to pass bills repealing expanded paid sick leave, gerrymander the state congressional map, change the initiative petition process and reimpose an abortion ban — said they are withholding judgment until they see the details of Kehoe’s plan.
But they note the income tax represents 65% of last year’s $13.4 billion in state revenue.
Democrats will not support raising taxes that disproportionately impact lower-income Missourians to pay to eliminate the income tax, said Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, an Affton Democrat.
“People are already having a really hard time making ends meet in this state,” Beck said. “People are living paycheck to paycheck. So if anyone wants to raise taxes on those folks, that is unacceptable to us. As Democrats, we say there should be no new taxes.”
House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, said that while the possible elimination of the income tax is “being sold as … getting rid of your taxes,” most Missourians will see little benefit.
“What they’re not telling you is how much more you’ll have to spend every time you swipe your card,” Aune said, adding: “The next time you have an expensive car repair or costly emergency visit from a plumber to fix a broken pipe, you’ll also be paying double digit sales taxes on that bill. Struggling to pay your rent? The struggle will get even harder when Republicans add a sales tax onto that.”
Democrats will lay out their own income tax proposal next week, Aune said, that will offer “targeted tax relief for those who need it most.”
State Rep. Mark Boyko, the Kirkwood Democrat who will sponsor the measure, said that while Missourians earning over $250,000 could end up paying more under the Democrats’ tax plan, it would generate much-needed revenue.
The proposal, Boyko said, “will actually lower your costs.”
Senate President Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican, urged her colleagues in an opening day speech to work together to “find solutions that move Missouri forward.”
While tax cuts weren’t directly mentioned in her speech, O’Laughlin left little doubt where she stood.
“Taxes, regulations, red tape and bureaucracy do not make Missouri better,” she said. “In every case, they take from Missouri families, they also take from Missouri small businesses. And our job is to reduce that impact. We must make sure what we take is as limited as possible.”
Missouri families want results, O’Laughlin said.
“They want better roads, better schools,” she said. “They want more private home ownership. They want safe streets and neighborhoods. They want better jobs and stronger job skills. They want thriving communities, and they want less dependence on the government at all levels.”
Hovering over the income tax debate is a state budget picture looking gloomier than it has in years.
General revenue is projected to be $400 million below estimates made a year ago. Part of the reason is that a capital gains tax cut passed last year that was estimated to reduce revenue by $111 million annually is now believed to cost as much as $500 million the first year and $360 million a year moving forward.
Beck said that while Democrats decided against using procedural maneuvers to gum up the Senate on the first day, the chamber will move much more slowly this year — not only in response to last year’s GOP moves quash Democratic filibusters, but also to avoid mistakes like the cost of the capital gains tax cut.
“When you shut off debate or refuse to engage with the other side to just rush things through, mistakes happen,” he said. “We were screaming from the hilltop that the capital gains cuts were going to cost way more. But we went too fast, and senators weren’t allowed to do their jobs.”
This story was first published at missouriindependent.com.
Missouri
Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for Jan. 7, 2026
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 7, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
15-28-57-58-63, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
Midday: 7-2-8
Midday Wild: 2
Evening: 7-4-8
Evening Wild: 8
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
Midday: 6-0-8-6
Midday Wild: 7
Evening: 7-8-2-6
Evening Wild: 6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
01-07-30-41-56, Cash Ball: 01
Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
Early Bird: 04
Morning: 08
Matinee: 13
Prime Time: 08
Night Owl: 10
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
03-05-09-10-36
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
28-41-50-61-68, Powerball: 05
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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