For Immediate Release

Nov. 15, 2019

A Jackson County jury on Friday convicted a Pleasant Hill, MO, man of murder and other felony charges in the 2018 fatal shooting of Sarah Simms, as well as the wounding of another victim, all while the defendant was out of jail on bond. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced this evening.

The jury convicted Michael T. Dumas, 2/21/1991, of Murder 2nd Degree, Assault 3rd Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action. The jury late Friday recommended up to 34 years in prison.

A Jackson County judge is scheduled to sentence Dumas on Jan. 17, 2020.

According to court records, Independence police responded to a residence in the 3800 block of S. Sterling Avenue on a reported double shooting. They found both victims in the residence. Witnesses told police that the suspect, later identified as Michael T. Dumas, had recently been with the homicide victim, Sarah Simms. The witness told police the suspect was also a suspect in a 2017 murder and was on bond. Simms, the homcide victim in the 2018 today, had also been a witness in the 2017 crime. A witness described how the suspect shot the victim with a shotgun and wounded a second victim. Police found shotgun shells at the scene. The suspect's vehicle was parked outside and shells similar to the one found at the homicide scene were found near the vehicle.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Traci Stansell, Jeremy Baldwin and JoEllen Engelbart prosecuted the case on behalf of the state of Missouri.

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

mmansur@jacksongov.org

http://jacksoncountyprosecutor.com

*Charges are only accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or has pleaded.