In the late hours of a September evening in 2019, the life of 19-year-old Equan Spain was cut short in Columbia, Missouri. On September 14th, Spain was a passenger in a vehicle with two other men, 28-year-old Michael L. Anderson and Aaron Harris. The men were reportedly preparing for a confrontation with individuals in another vehicle, a decision that would have fatal consequences. As the situation escalated, a single gunshot was fired from inside the car where Spain was seated.
The bullet struck Spain, inflicting a mortal wound.
The investigation into Spain's death quickly identified the two men who were with him in the car as suspects. Michael L. Anderson was identified as the individual who fired the shot that killed Spain. Both Anderson and the driver of the vehicle, Aaron Harris, were subsequently arrested. Anderson was charged with second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action. At the time of the incident, Anderson was on parole for theft, stealing, and a firearm conviction from another state. Harris was also taken into custody and faced a charge of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon.
The legal proceedings took different turns for the two men charged in connection with Equan Spain's death. In February 2020, while being held at the South Central Correctional Center in Licking, Michael L. Anderson died due to a medical condition. An autopsy was scheduled to determine the exact cause of his death. Meanwhile, Aaron Harris's case moved through the justice system. In a turn of events, the families of both Harris and Spain came together during the legal proceedings, stating that the two men were as close as brothers.
Ultimately, Aaron Harris pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter. In May of 2021, a judge sentenced him to ten years in prison, the maximum sentence for that charge. During the sentencing, the judge noted Harris's criminal history, which included six misdemeanor convictions and several other arrests, some of which were weapon-related, as a factor in the decision. The judge described the shooting as an act of retaliation for a previous incident. Following his sentencing, Harris was transferred to the Department of Corrections to serve his time.
