Missouri prosecutors said Wednesday that they intend to seek the death penalty against a Kansas City-area man who is charged with murder in the killings of a court employee who tried to serve an eviction notice on him and a police officer who responded. Larry Acree, 70, of Independence, is accused of shooting court employee Drexel Mack on Feb. 29, plus two police officers who came to the scene, including Cody Allen, who was killed.
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker's office filed a notice with the court saying the state will prove there are aggravating circumstances sufficient to warrant the death penalty. Acree is charged with 18 total counts including two of first-degree murder. According to court papers, Acree owed delinquent taxes dating back to at least 2019. His 9-acre property and three-bedroom home was sold last August for $260,000, and the new owner paid the taxes.
Acree's next court date is set for July 10 in Independence, a suburb of Kansas City with about 122,000 residents. Eleven people are currently on death row in Missouri.