Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight was discovered dead at his south-central Columbia residence on Saturday, the Columbia Police Division reported.
The dying happened by obvious gunshot, Columbia Law enforcement Chief Geoff Jones stated.
No foul perform is suspected, Jones said.
Authorities ended up named to Knight’s house in the 2300 block of Memorial Court docket at about 9:35 a.m. Saturday, Jones confirmed.
A number of law enforcement cruisers and a criminal offense scene investigation van have been on the scene there just before Jones resolved users of the media Saturday afternoon.
“It’s a unfortunate working day,” Jones mentioned, ending the news convention.
There is a comprehensive, ongoing law enforcement investigation, and the county health-related examiner will determine whether an autopsy is desired, Jones said, adding he failed to anticipate the course of action to ascertain the cause would choose extended to full.
No more facts will be introduced right up until the investigation is finished, he stated.
“We’re all in shock,” Jones stated. “He was really committed to his situation and to his work, even prior to he was the elected prosecutor.”
Knight’s two canine — Snap, an Australian Shepherd mix, and Rocky, a Rat Terrier mix — have been taken out of his residence by animal command, Jones reported.
Soon after four terms as Boone County prosecuting attorney, Knight declared designs previously this year to not find reelection in hopes he could don a judge’s robe in two years’ time. Knight told the Tribune at the time he was strongly thinking of trying to find the Boone County Circuit Court judgeship for Division III in 2024 if the seat was vacant.
Knight would have faced a obstacle from fellow Democrat Roger Johnson, one of his previous deputies, in the August most important experienced he run for reelection as prosecutor.
Though Knight did not share other designs he had after his prosecutor tenure would have ended Dec. 31, he stated speaking engagements for organizations centered on preventing baby abuse or domestic violence were on his radar.
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As prosecuting lawyer, Knight was responsible for the enforcement of condition felony legislation and kid guidance enforcement within Boone County.
Final year, Knight led the prosecutor’s business office in the substantial-profile murder circumstance versus Joseph Elledge, a Columbia person who was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2019 killing of Elledge’s wife, Mengqi Ji.
“Dan was a committed expert for several, lots of yrs,” Jones claimed, referencing Knight’s almost 30 overall years of service to the county prosecutor’s office environment. “We all grieve with his loved ones and with his colleagues.”
Knight was born and lifted in Columbia. He graduated from Hickman Superior College in 1985, earned a bachelor’s degree in enterprise from the University of Missouri in 1989 and secured a law degree from the MU University of Legislation in 1992.
In September 1992, Knight was hired as an assistant prosecuting lawyer by previous Boone County Prosecutor Joe Moseley. In April 1999, previous Boone County Prosecutor Kevin Crane promoted Knight to the place of initially assistant prosecuting legal professional. In 2006, Knight ran unopposed for prosecuting attorney and was sworn into business office Jan. 1, 2007. In 2010, 2014 and 2018, he once again ran unopposed and retained the office environment.
The Boone County Circuit Court is tasked with appointing an interim prosecutor to take above for Knight prior to a new elected prosecutor normally takes business.
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Throughout his career as prosecutor, Knight dealt with hundreds of felony cases, which includes many murder prosecutions, the county states on its site. As an administrator, Knight was in the end accountable for 1000’s of prison circumstances submitted every 12 months by the prosecutor’s place of work, ranging from targeted visitors offenses to murder in the very first degree.
“Dan was extremely included in his get the job done,” Jones claimed. “That’s who Dan was. When we obtained a entire new scenario, he tried out to do it as flawlessly as he could. We will skip that.”
Knight generally put in 80 to 90 hours of perform per week, he instructed the Tribune previously this yr soon after asserting he would not run all over again for prosecutor.
“That can consider a toll, there is no question about it,” Knight stated of the needs of his job. “… I will overlook sinking my tooth into circumstances, definitely digging in and performing all the things I can to accomplish justice.”
This short article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight identified dead at his residence