In the winter of 2017, a dispute over a handgun transaction led to the untimely death of 19-year-old Zechariah Shane Miles in Springfield, Missouri. The young man, a 2015 graduate of Fair Grove High School, was fatally shot in the early hours of February 1, 2017. Friends and family remembered him as someone who enjoyed spending time with his loved ones, had a passion for fast cars, and was dedicated to making money.
His sudden death left his family, including his parents, brother, and sister, heartbroken.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to another 19-year-old, Chase Dylan Adams. Authorities alleged that a disagreement in December 2016 over the amount Miles had paid a friend of Adams for a handgun was the catalyst for the violence. In the wake of the shooting, Adams reportedly made 'drive by' threats. Court documents revealed that Adams had conversations with two witnesses on social media following the incident. When one witness inquired who was responsible for the shooting, Adams allegedly replied, 'I'm the one that been shootn over there.' When pressed by another witness about who shot Miles, Adams is said to have admitted, 'Me.'
Following the investigation, Greene County prosecutors charged Chase Dylan Adams with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was jailed on a $500,000 bond. In January 2019, then 21-year-old Adams pleaded guilty to the charges as part of a plea agreement. The deal was expected to result in a 20-year prison sentence for his role in the death of Zechariah Miles. His sentencing was scheduled for February 8, 2019, bringing a legal conclusion to a case that began with a petty argument and ended in a tragic loss of life.
