On a summer day in Des Moines, Iowa, the life of 16-year-old Terry Harris, a Black male, was tragically cut short. On June 9, 2015, Harris was in the basement of a house when he was shot in the mouth at close range. The incident was not a random act of violence; the suspect and Harris were acquainted.
For over a month, the case remained without an arrest, leaving a community searching for answers.
The investigation, aided by tips and information gathered from social media, eventually led authorities to a 17-year-old male. At the time of his arrest in connection with Harris's death, the suspect was already in custody on unrelated charges.
The motive behind the killing was determined to be robbery. The suspect faced charges of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery. Police believe he went to the house with the intention of robbing Harris. There were other individuals present in the home at the time of the shooting, and their accounts, along with other evidence, were crucial in piecing together the events of that fatal day.
