For Immediate Release
Aug. 30, 2021
Jackson County judge sentenced David Harris to 35 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Mary Schmitz and the wounding of another victim in Independence, MO, in September 2018, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.
In July, a Jackson County jury found David A. Harris, dob: 9/30/1999, guilty of Murder 2nd Degree, Armed Criminal Action, Assault 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action in connection with the Sept. 18, 2018, shooting in Independence that took the life of Mary K. Schmitz, dob: 3/20/1998, and wounded another at a resident in the 1100 block of Quail Creek Drive.
On Wednesday, a Jackson County judge sentenced Harris to 25 years total on the Murder 2nd Degree and first Armed Criminal Action charges, and 10 more years on the Assault 1st Degree and second Armed Criminal Action conviction. Those sentences of 25 and 10 years were set to run consecutively.
According to court records, Independence police responded to the shooting scene on Sept. 18, 2018, and found both victims. A witness identified the shooter as a person wearing all black. Police responded to a nearby area after callers described a suspicious man wearing all black knocking on doors. In an interview that man, the defendant, told police he shot both victims after he went to the apartment on Quail Creek Drive.
Assistant Jackson County Prosecuting Attorneys Hallie Schuman, Jeremy Baldwin and Harrison Blue represented the state of Missouri in prosecuting this case.
For more information, contact:
Michael Mansur
Director of Communication
Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office
Jean Peters Baker, Prosecutor
Work : (816) 881-3812
Mobile : (816) 674-3954
www.jacksoncounyprosecutor.com
mmansur@jacksongov.org
*Charges are only accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or has pleaded.
Jackson County judge sentenced David Harris to 35 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Mary Schmitz and the wounding of another victim in September 2018, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.