Gilmer was convicted October 10 after a week-long trial in which jurors heard several 911 calls before, during, and immediately after the murder.

The first call to 911 came from Gilmer, who told police he was “getting ready to commit a crime.”  Gilmer then promised he was “getting ready to kill someone” and identified Brian Harrell as the victim.

Zahnd said that 38 seconds after hanging up on police, Gilmer shot Harrell three times in the chest while Harrell was calling 911 for assistance.  Harrell’s 911 call captured the sound of the gunshots followed by Harrell screaming, “He shot me.”

Harrell’s wife then came to Harrell’s aid but was unsuccessful in saving his life.  A little over a minute after Harrell is shot the first time, she says to Gilmer, “he’s dead.”  Gilmer can be heard responding, “I don’t give a [expletive].”  At the same time, Gilmer shot Harrell another time.

Harrell’s wife and brother told jurors they were attempting to remove personal property from the apartment, where Gilmer was the landlord.  Gilmer had changed the locks and refused to let them into the apartment.

Kansas City Police officers responded earlier and repeatedly told Gilmer he could not lock the Harrells out of the apartment, but Gilmer still refused to let them into to the apartment.  Gilmer claimed $400 in rent was due, but Harrell’s wife testified all rent had been paid.

The Harrells returned to the apartment later in the day, and Brian Harrell forced the door open.  Gilmer then called police prior to shooting Harrell.

Kansas City police arrested Gilmer at the scene.  They later found a gun in Gilmer’s garage with his fingerprint on the weapon’s magazine.  Shell casing found at the scene also matched the gun.

Zahnd said, “This defendant tried to portray himself in court as an upstanding citizen, citing his volunteer work and teaching job with the Kansas City, Missouri school district.  But jurors saw the truth:  the defendant is a heartless, evil man who committed the premeditated murder of a father of two young children over a simple rent dispute.”

The case was investigated by the Kansas City Police Department with assistance from the Platte County Sheriff's Department.  Zahnd and assistant prosecutors Mark Gibson and Jaclyn Taylor handled the jury trial.

Eric G. Zahnd
Platte County Prosecuting Attorney
415 Third Street
Suite 60
Platte City, Missouri  64079
(816) 858-3476
(816) 858-3472 (fax)
ezahnd@co.platte.mo.us