On the evening of January 17, 2022, 53-year-old Earl Harris III, a male, was at his home in Tacoma, Washington's Hilltop neighborhood, spending time with a couple of friends. A knock at the door of his residence in the 800 block of South Sheridan Street interrupted the gathering. When Harris opened the door, a 34-year-old man, later identified as Antione Lavar Larkins, immediately began to beat him.
The sudden violence escalated when Larkins pushed Harris against a wall, pulled a pistol from his waistband, and shot him multiple times in the torso and hands. Harris's friends fled the scene upon seeing the weapon. Despite his severe injuries, Harris was able to call 911 for help. First responders arrived around 5:40 p.m. and transported him to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds.
The investigation into the homicide quickly pointed detectives toward a suspect. Friends of Harris told police that the assailant was his drug dealer and that Harris had a history of not paying for the drugs he received. Through surveillance footage and anonymous tips, authorities identified Antione Lavar Larkins as the man responsible for the shooting. A couple of weeks after the incident, on January 25, police arrested the 34-year-old Larkins at a residence in Tacoma and booked him into the Pierce County Jail. He was initially charged with second-degree murder.
During police questioning, Larkins gave conflicting stories. He first denied having seen Harris since 2019 but later admitted to going to his house on the night of the murder. He claimed Harris attacked him, leading to a struggle over the gun, during which it went off. However, this account was contradicted by the witnesses present, who stated Larkins was the aggressor. Larkins eventually pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. For the killing of Earl Harris III, he was sentenced to 20 years and five months in prison. Family members remembered Harris as a father of three and a grandfather who had worked as a Network Engineer, even for Microsoft at one point. They noted he had been struggling with an opioid addiction but was on a path to recovery. He was active in his church, known for his easygoing demeanor and his love for cooking for family and friends.
