Bobby Maher appears inset near an image of the area where he was tragically killed at a mall in Casper, Wyoming, on April 7, 2024 (GoFundMe; Google Maps)
A 16-year-old from Wyoming has been sentenced to many years in prison for the murder of a 14-year-old boy who was protecting his girlfriend. During the incident, the victim was restrained while a second attacker fatally stabbed him as witnesses looked on.
Dominique Antonio Richard Harris appeared before Natrona County District Court Judge Kerri Johnson, where he admitted guilt to one count of conspiracy to commit second-degree murder in the death of Bobby Maher Jr. Harris’s plea was part of an agreement with the district attorney’s office, which reduced the charge from conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and dismissed other charges, including aggravated assault and theft, as reported by Cowboy State Daily. The district attorney’s office offered this deal in exchange for Harris’s plea.
Harris had been scheduled to go to trial next month for Maher’s April 7, 2024, murder.
District Attorney Dan Itzen represented the state at the hearing and recommended a prison sentence ranging from 30 to 75 years, according to Oil City News.
In this case, Harris’s co-defendant, 16-year-old Jarreth Joseflee Sebastian Plunkett, had already pleaded guilty to first-degree murder charges in May and received a life sentence. However, given Wyoming state law, minors convicted of murder could be eligible for parole after serving 25 years.
Itzen detailed during the hearing that Harris and Plunkett previously had a confrontation with Maher two weeks before the fatal event at a local park. Just days before the murder, the defendants confronted Maher’s girlfriend and his friend, during which Plunkett challenged the friend about a “blood debt” related to Bobby.
As Law&Crime previously reported, on the day of the murder, Harris and Plunkett had been playing hide-and-seek in a Best Buy in the Eastridge Mall in Casper, Wyoming, according to an affidavit obtained by local K2 Radio.
After the game, the two teens decided to steal the knives from a store. Later, they came into contact with Maher’s girlfriend and began following her. When the pair saw Maher leaving a DICK’s Sporting Goods, trouble came.
The verbal altercation began outside the sporting goods store, and a large group of people quickly assembled to watch.
Eventually, the assailants flanked the boy, the affidavit said. Then, Harris can be seen grabbing Maher “around the waist, lifting him off the ground, and slamming him down with great force on his left side.”
The death blows came quickly after, police said.
“Dominique is seen holding (Maher) while Jarreth jumped in,” police wrote in a probable cause affidavit — referring to a cellphone video. “Dominique appeared to strike (Maher) in the face, while Jarreth is observed swinging the knife in a downward motion, stabbing (Maher) twice.”
Footage of the attack played during a prior court appearance showed Maher being stabbed before getting to his feet, taking a few steps towards the mall, and then collapsing.
Harris previously admitted to holding Maher down, but told police he was only doing it “to make sure the fight was over.”
Johnson reportedly ordered a pre-sentence investigation and scheduled Harris’ formal sentencing hearing for Sept. 5.
