Murder suspect waives arraignment

The second of three men charged in the killing in March of 34-year-old Carlos Kelly waived formal arraignment yesterday in Boone County Circuit Court and pleaded not guilty to first-degree robbery and second-degree murder.

Dressed in a jail-issued black-and-white uniform and shackled at the wrists and ankles, Travis Midgyett, 27, of 3705 Greeley Drive, smiled at friends in the courtroom after entering his plea before Circuit Judge Gene Hamilton. Co-defendant Felson Barney, 29, of 905 Clayton St. also waived arraignment last month and pleaded not guilty to first-degree robbery and second-degree murder.

Midgyett is accused of striking Kelly in the back of the head with a wooden board after using a gun to force his way into the victim’s home with Barney and co-defendant Rodney Cunningham, 30, of 713 Cook Ave.

According to a probable cause statement, once inside Kelly’s home, Midgyett handed his gun to Barney so that he could pick up a large wooden board and strike the victim.

Midgyett and Barney remain in the Boone County Jail, with bond seat at $1 million each.

Bond for Cunningham, who also is in the jail, is set at $1.5 million bond because of unrelated felony charges.