Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight was uncovered useless at his south-central Columbia household on Saturday, the Columbia Police Division described.
The loss of life occurred by clear gunshot, Columbia Law enforcement Main Geoff Jones claimed.
No foul play is suspected, Jones said.
Authorities ended up identified as to Knight’s household in the 2300 block of Memorial Court docket at about 9:35 a.m. Saturday, Jones verified.
Various police cruisers and a crime scene investigation van have been on the scene there right before Jones dealt with members of the media Saturday afternoon.
“It’s a sad day,” Jones stated, ending the news meeting.
There is a complete, ongoing law enforcement investigation, and the county healthcare examiner will determine whether an autopsy is essential, Jones stated, adding he didn’t anticipate the method to determine the cause would choose very long to total.
No more details will be introduced till the investigation is finished, he stated.
“We are all in shock,” Jones claimed. “He was very devoted to his situation and to his do the job, even just before he was the elected prosecutor.”
Knight’s two dogs — Snap, an Australian Shepherd blend, and Rocky, a Rat Terrier mix — were taken out of his property by animal handle, Jones stated.
Following 4 terms as Boone County prosecuting attorney, Knight introduced programs earlier this year to not request reelection in hopes he could don a judge’s robe in two years’ time. Knight told the Tribune at the time he was strongly thinking about searching for the Boone County Circuit Court judgeship for Division III in 2024 if the seat was vacant.
Knight would have confronted a obstacle from fellow Democrat Roger Johnson, a single of his previous deputies, in the August most important experienced he run for reelection as prosecutor.
Although Knight did not share other ideas he had after his prosecutor tenure would have ended Dec. 31, he explained speaking engagements for corporations concentrated on protecting against little one abuse or domestic violence ended up on his radar.
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As prosecuting legal professional, Knight was responsible for the enforcement of state felony legislation and child help enforcement within Boone County.
Very last year, Knight led the prosecutor’s workplace in the substantial-profile murder situation versus Joseph Elledge, a Columbia man who was convicted of next-diploma murder in the 2019 killing of Elledge’s wife, Mengqi Ji.
“Dan was a devoted specialist for numerous, lots of many years,” Jones reported, referencing Knight’s just about 30 overall yrs of provider to the county prosecutor’s office environment. “We all grieve with his household and with his colleagues.”
Knight was born and elevated in Columbia. He graduated from Hickman Substantial Faculty in 1985, earned a bachelor’s diploma in business enterprise from the College of Missouri in 1989 and secured a regulation diploma from the MU Faculty of Legislation in 1992.
In September 1992, Knight was hired as an assistant prosecuting legal professional by former Boone County Prosecutor Joe Moseley. In April 1999, former Boone County Prosecutor Kevin Crane promoted Knight to the place of very first assistant prosecuting attorney. In 2006, Knight ran unopposed for prosecuting attorney and was sworn into business office Jan. 1, 2007. In 2010, 2014 and 2018, he all over again ran unopposed and retained the place of work.
The Boone County Circuit Courtroom is tasked with appointing an interim prosecutor to take more than for Knight ahead of a new elected prosecutor normally takes business office.
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All through his career as prosecutor, Knight taken care of thousands of felony circumstances, including many murder prosecutions, the county states on its internet site. As an administrator, Knight was eventually accountable for 1000’s of felony scenarios filed each yr by the prosecutor’s office, ranging from website traffic offenses to murder in the very first diploma.
“Dan was pretty included in his do the job,” Jones mentioned. “That’s who Dan was. When we acquired a whole new scenario, he tried using to do it as beautifully as he could. We will miss out on that.”
Knight normally put in 80 to 90 hrs of perform for each week, he explained to the Tribune previously this calendar year after saying he would not operate once again for prosecutor.
“That can acquire a toll, there is no question about it,” Knight explained of the needs of his career. “… I will miss sinking my enamel into cases, seriously digging in and undertaking almost everything I can to realize justice.”
This short article at first appeared on Columbia Day-to-day Tribune: Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight located lifeless at his household