Columbia woman accused of murder pleads guilty to lesser charge

A Columbia woman connected to the February shooting death of Maya Wootton has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder.

Elizabeth Dye, 26, originally was charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and first-degree robbery. Charges had been upgraded to first-degree murder, armed criminal action and first-degree robbery after Wootton's death.

More: Murder charge filed after Orchard Drive shooting victim dies

Dye entered her guilty plea Sept. 3. She was sentenced the same day to 20 years in prison with credit for time served. 

Another man connected to Wootton's death — Lucas Harper, 35 — changed his not guilty plea to an open guilty plea Aug. 24 for felony tampering with evidence. 

More: Columbia man changes plea in case related to February homicide

Harper entered his plea without a deal between his attorney and the Boone County Prosecutor's Office. It is not clear in online court records whether Dye had a plea agreement. 

Police found Wootton at about 7:13 a.m. Feb. 15 at an Orchard Court home with a gunshot wound to her head. 

Dye, Harper and Wootton's boyfriend — unidentified in court documents — were at the scene when police arrived. The boyfriend was not at the residence when Wootton was shot.