City man has been charged with six counts of murder for an alleged year-long killing spree, during which he’s accused of targeting people on local walking trails, PEOPLE confirms.
© Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office A Kansas City man has been charged with six counts of murder for an alleged year-long killing spree, during which he’s accused of targeting people on local walking trails, PEOPLE confirms.
Fredrick Demond Scott, 23, was in charged in 2017 with three counts of first degree murder in the deaths of Karen Harmeyer, John Palmer and Steven Gibbons, according to a Jackson County Prosecutors Office news release. On Friday, a grand jury indicted him on three additional counts of
first-degree murder for the deaths of Michael Darby, 61, Timothy Rice, 57, and David Lenox, 67, the release states.
Scott’s alleged spree took place from August 2016 until his August 2017, the release states. A police spokesperson tells PEOPLE authorities are calling Scott an alleged “serial killer.”
Scott’s mother told the Kansas City Star last August that her son suffered from untreated paranoid schizophrenia. Police have not yet released a motive.
In 2014, Scott had allegedly threatened to commit a school shooting, and in a separate alleged incident, threatened “kill all white people,” according to court documents obtained by the Star.
Scott served 180 days in jail after receiving a city citation for harassment and was ordered to undergo “intense” supervision, according to the Star.
According to authorities, all six victims were fatally shot, according to the Associated Press.
Fredrick Demond Scott, 23, was in charged in 2017 with three counts of first degree murder in the deaths of Karen Harmeyer, John Palmer and Steven Gibbons, according to a Jackson County Prosecutors Office news release. On Friday, a grand jury indicted him on three additional counts of
first-degree murder for the deaths of Michael Darby, 61, Timothy Rice, 57, and David Lenox, 67, the release states.
Scott’s alleged spree took place from August 2016 until his August 2017, the release states. A police spokesperson tells PEOPLE authorities are calling Scott an alleged “serial killer.”
Scott’s mother told the Kansas City Star last August that her son suffered from untreated paranoid schizophrenia. Police have not yet released a motive.
In 2014, Scott had allegedly threatened to commit a school shooting, and in a separate alleged incident, threatened “kill all white people,” according to court documents obtained by the Star.
Scott served 180 days in jail after receiving a city citation for harassment and was ordered to undergo “intense” supervision, according to the Star.
According to authorities, all six victims were fatally shot, according to the Associated Press.
Palmer was the first victim to be discovered in a wooded area off of a trail. Additional bodies were found later that year, the Post reports. In July, Harmeyer — who was homeless — was found dead in her tent by her friends. She was the only female victim in Scott’s alleged spree.
But it was Gibbons’ alleged murder last summer that led authorities to Scott. Security footage obtained by police showed Scott exiting a city bus at the same stop as Gibbons. At the crime scene, a bottle of iced tea was found and collected as evidence. Reviewing security camera footage from various locations throughout the city, police were allegedly able to trace Scott back to purchasing the iced tea before Gibbons’ death.
“We’re thankful that he is off the street and hopefully he’ll be held accountable for what he has done,” David Lenox’s daughter, Mindy, told the Kansas City Star. “I don’t know for me personally that there is any closure. Nothing can bring my dad back and nothing can take that pain away, but at least knowing that the person responsible will be held accountable, it will certainly be helpful.”
In addition to murder, Scott also faces six counts of armed criminal activity, according to the Post. It is unclear who is representing Scott, who remains behind bars in Jackson County Detention Center.
Scott has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges for Harmeyer, 64, Palmer, 54, and Gibbons, 57. He has not yet entered a plea for the latest charges, the Post reports.
But it was Gibbons’ alleged murder last summer that led authorities to Scott. Security footage obtained by police showed Scott exiting a city bus at the same stop as Gibbons. At the crime scene, a bottle of iced tea was found and collected as evidence. Reviewing security camera footage from various locations throughout the city, police were allegedly able to trace Scott back to purchasing the iced tea before Gibbons’ death.
“We’re thankful that he is off the street and hopefully he’ll be held accountable for what he has done,” David Lenox’s daughter, Mindy, told the Kansas City Star. “I don’t know for me personally that there is any closure. Nothing can bring my dad back and nothing can take that pain away, but at least knowing that the person responsible will be held accountable, it will certainly be helpful.”
In addition to murder, Scott also faces six counts of armed criminal activity, according to the Post. It is unclear who is representing Scott, who remains behind bars in Jackson County Detention Center.
Scott has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges for Harmeyer, 64, Palmer, 54, and Gibbons, 57. He has not yet entered a plea for the latest charges, the Post reports.
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