In the early morning hours of November 18, 2018, the life of 46-year-old Sarah Simms was tragically cut short in her Independence, Missouri, home. The female victim was discovered by police on her kitchen floor, unconscious but still breathing, with a gunshot wound to her head. She was rushed to a local hospital where she ultimately succumbed to her injuries. Another man in the home at the time was also shot and wounded.
The suspect was identified as 27-year-old Michael T.
Dumas of Pleasant Hill. An intense 11-hour manhunt ensued, with police warning the public that Dumas should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. He was eventually apprehended and taken into custody. The investigation revealed a chilling motive behind the murder. Sarah Simms was a key witness in a 2017 murder case in which Dumas was the defendant. He had been out on bond awaiting trial for that earlier crime when he entered Simms' residence.
According to a witness, Dumas and Simms were heard arguing in her bedroom in the hours leading up to the shooting. Later, in the kitchen, Dumas was seen holding a large butane torch before raising a silver-barreled, sawed-off shotgun. Despite the witness and Simms holding their hands up and pleading with him not to shoot, Dumas fired, striking Simms and the other man. Police found Dumas's vehicle parked behind the house with a box of shotgun shells inside that matched the spent shells found at the crime scene.
Michael T. Dumas was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Sarah Simms, first-degree assault for the wounding of the other man, and two counts of armed criminal action. In November 2019, a Jackson County jury convicted Dumas of second-degree murder, third-degree assault, and two counts of armed criminal action. In January 2020, a judge sentenced him to a total of 34 years in prison for his crimes, with the sentences to be served consecutively.
