'Blood debt': Teen admits to holding down boy as he was stabbed to death defending his girlfriend at shopping mall

A 16-year-old successful Wyoming volition walk decades down bars for killing a 14-year-old lad who was defending his girlfriend, holding the unfortunate down portion a 2nd assailant fatally stabbed him successful beforehand of a assemblage of onlookers.

Dominique Antonio Richard Harris connected Friday appeared earlier Natrona County District Court Judge Kerri Johnson wherever helium formally pleaded blameworthy to 1 number of conspiracy to perpetrate second-degree execution successful past year's slaying of Bobby Maher Jr. Harris, who had initially been facing conspiracy to perpetrate first-degree murder, reached a woody with the territory attorney's office, which agreed to trim the conspiracy complaint and driblet further charges of aggravated battle and theft successful speech for his plea, Cowboy State Daily reported.

Harris had been scheduled to spell to proceedings adjacent period for Maher's April 7, 2024, murder.

District Attorney Dan Itzen appeared successful tribunal connected behalf of the authorities and told Johnson that his bureau would beryllium seeking a condemnation of 30 to 75 years, according to Oil City News.

Harris' co-defendant successful the case, 16-year-old Jarreth Joseflee Sebastian Plunkett, pleaded blameworthy to 1 number of first-degree execution successful May and was handed a beingness sentence. However, nether Wyoming state law, a insignificant convicted of a execution complaint is eligible for parole aft serving 25 years successful prison.

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During the hearing, Itzen reportedly explained that Harris and Plunkett had been successful a confrontation with Maher astatine a section parkland astir 2 weeks earlier the fatal stabbing. Two days earlier the murder, the defendants encountered Maher's woman and Maher's friend, during which Plunkett reportedly asked the person if helium "wanted to wage Bobby's humor debt."

As Law&Crime previously reported, connected the time of the murder, Harris and Plunkett had been playing hide-and-seek successful a Best Buy successful the Eastridge Mall successful Casper, Wyoming, according to an affidavit obtained by section K2 Radio.

After the game, the 2 teens decided to bargain the knives from a store. Later, they came into interaction with Maher's woman and began pursuing her. When the brace saw Maher leaving a DICK's Sporting Goods, occupation came.

The verbal altercation began extracurricular the sporting goods store, and a ample radical of radical rapidly assembled to watch.

Eventually, the assailants flanked the boy, the affidavit said. Then, Harris tin beryllium seen grabbing Maher "around the waist, lifting him disconnected the ground, and slamming him down with large unit connected his near side."

The decease blows came rapidly after, constabulary said.

"Dominique is seen holding (Maher) portion Jarreth jumped in," constabulary wrote successful a probable origin affidavit — referring to a cellphone video. "Dominique appeared to onslaught (Maher) successful the face, portion Jarreth is observed swinging the weapon successful a downward motion, stabbing (Maher) twice."

Footage of the onslaught played during a anterior tribunal quality showed Maher being stabbed earlier getting to his feet, taking a fewer steps towards the mall, and past collapsing.

Harris antecedently admitted to holding Maher down, but told constabulary helium was lone doing it "to marque definite the combat was over."

Johnson reportedly ordered a pre-sentence probe and scheduled Harris' ceremonial sentencing proceeding for Sept. 5.

Colin Kalmbacher contributed to this report.