On December 29, 2018, a tragic discovery was made in Moberly, Missouri, when law enforcement officers located the bodies of two men inside a vehicle parked near the intersection of Concannon and Morley streets. The victims were identified as Darren Tharp, a 51-year-old resident of Columbia, Missouri, and Shane Hare, a 24-year-old male who was originally from Jacksonville, Florida, but had been visiting the area. The car was situated between the Westside Inn and a local establishment known as Bud's Place. Upon examination, authorities confirmed that both individuals had sustained fatal gunshot wounds to the head. The subsequent investigation revealed that the double homicide had occurred during the late hours of the previous night or the early morning hours of that Saturday.
Detectives quickly pieced together the events leading up to the violence, determining that the killings were the result of a robbery disguised as a drug transaction. Information gathered by the Moberly Police Department and the North Missouri Drug Task Force indicated that the victims had been lured to the location under the pretense of a methamphetamine deal. Surveillance footage and community tips proved vital in identifying the individuals responsible for the ambush. The authorities alleged that the robbery had been premeditated, with the intent to steal drugs or money from the victims, but the encounter escalated into lethal violence.
Four suspects were identified and apprehended in connection with the crimes. Christopher A. Esry, a 20-year-old from Madison, Missouri, was pinpointed as the individual who fired the fatal shots. Investigators learned that Esry had orchestrated the plan and allegedly coerced another suspect, 40-year-old Aaron D. Bloss, into participating by issuing threats against him and his family. Travis A. Koenig, 29, was identified as the getaway driver who transported the group to and from the scene. A fourth man, 22-year-old Steven Dale Bell, did not participate in the shooting itself but was accused of helping to cover up the crime by burning the clothes worn during the incident and attempting to destroy evidence related to Tharp’s vehicle.
In the legal proceedings that followed, the suspects faced serious charges related to the deaths. Christopher Esry was initially charged with first-degree murder but eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in April 2020. He was subsequently sentenced to 20 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole. Steven Bell pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence and received a four-year prison sentence for his role in the cover-up. Aaron Bloss and Travis Koenig were also taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder and first-degree robbery, with their involvement centered on their presence and assistance during the commission of the felony that resulted in the loss of two lives.
