CASPER — A local boy was trying to protect his girlfriend from a pair of teens following her and a female friend around Eastridge Mall on Sunday when he was fatally stabbed, according to documents filed in Casper Circuit Court.
Now the two alleged teen assailants — one from Evansville and the other from Casper — have been charged as adults in the stabbing death of 14-year-old Bobby Maher at the mall.
Jarreth Joseflee Sabstian Plunkett, born in 2009, of Evansville, faces charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault and battery, and theft. His alleged accomplice, Dominique Antonio Richard Harris, of Casper, faces conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, aggravated assault and battery, and a misdemeanor theft charge.
Both made their initial appearances in Casper Circuit Court on Monday.
Police Response
Court documents show Casper Police Department officers responded to the mall at 1:41 p.m. on Sunday for a report of juvenile unconscious outside the Hibachi Supreme Buffet in the mall. Emergency CPR and first aid had been started by adults at the scene.
Casper Police Sgt. Michael Paschke took over CPR on Maher, who had two stab wounds from “an altercation that just occurred,” the arrest affidavit states.
Officers learned from witnesses there had been an altercation involving people called “JJ” and “Dom.” Plunkett and Harris were picked up for questioning a short time later in the 500 block of Long Lane, court records show.
An arrest affidavit states Maher’s teen friend who accompanied him to the mall told police they had gone there because Maher’s girlfriend had called him and said two males were following her and a friend around the mall.
“(Maher) then told (his girlfriend) that they were going to the mall to come and keep the girls safe,” the friend stated, as reported in the affidavit.
Once at the mall, the pair located the girls and found “JJ” and “Dom” walking in front of them, the friend told police. Maher’s friend told police he was trying to get the girls out of the mall to keep them safe, according to the affidavit.
They walked out the mall entrance near the restaurant as Maher “kept telling JJ and Dom to leave,” the affidavit states.
Altercation
“Once all the individuals were outside the exterior entrance doors to the mall a physical altercation ensued,” the affidavit states. Maher’s friend said that “Dom slammed (Maher) to the ground and that JJ walked up and stabbed (Maher).”
The affidavit states Maher’s friend told police that “everything happened so quickly” and that he never saw the knife until JJ walked up and started stabbing the teen.
The friend described the knife as a “kitchen-style knife” that did not have a sheath or cover and had not been visible on JJ, the affidavit states.
Maher’s friend told police he did not know the alleged attackers’ last names, but that they all attended Dean Middle School together, the affidavit states.
Interviews with Maher’s friend and the suspects showed there had been an alleged incident at a park in Evansville previously between Maher and the alleged assailants. The charged pair alleged in police interviews that Maher called them “freaks.”
Both Harris and Plunkett eventually admitted in interviews with police that they stole kitchen knives from Target prior to the incident, the affidavit shows.
Stabbing Caught On Video
Video footage obtained by Casper police showed Plunkett pursuing Maher and yelling at him outside the mall entrance, the affidavit states. Both suspects were wearing hooded balaclava-style masks that covered their hair and lower faces, but left the eyes and mouth areas open.
“Jarreth also told (Maher) to swing on him several times; however, (Maher) clearly did not want to fight as he is seen moving in a continuous backwards motion away from Jarreth,” the affidavit states, adding that video evidence showed that Maher had circled back by the mall door. “However, due to numerous other juveniles gathering around, it appeared as if he was unable to get back inside the mall.”
The affidavit states the video shows at one point Harris moving into position to “flank” Maher as Plunkett approached him from the front. Harris then picked up Maher “around the waist, lifting him off the ground, and slamming him down with great force on his left side,” the affidavit states.
“Dominique is seen holding (Maher) while Jarreth jumped in. Dominique appeared to strike (Maher) in the face, while Jarreth is observed swinging the knife in a downward motion, stabbing (Maher) twice,” the affidavit states.
‘I Don’t Fight Fair’
The affidavit states the video shows both alleged assailants step back with Plunkett placing the knife in his right front pant’s pocket. Maher stands, holding his right abdomen as a “third suspect is observed going towards (Maher) as (Maher) is staggering back toward the mall entrance doors and observed kicking at him,” the affidavit states.
The video shows Maher tried to go through the mall doorway with the help of his friend and then collapsed, the affidavit states.
Harris told police in an interview that he threw Maher down and punched him because “he wanted to make sure the fight was over.”
Harris also told police Maher “never threw a punch, never slapped, never pushed anyone,” the affidavit states.
The affidavit states Plunkett had told Maher’s girlfriend at the mall that he “planned on fighting her Bobby.” Plunkett also reportedly told police he didn’t want to “start a problem, but Dominique did,” the affidavit states.
Plunkett also told police in the interview that Maher had told him to “put the knife away, this isn’t fair.” Jarreth said his response was, “I don’t fight fair.”
Sympathy For Family
Local social media boards have had an outpouring of sympathy and support expressed for Maher and his family.
That includes a GoFundMe effort launched by a family friend, Ashlyn Benbo, that has raised a little over $24,000 so far. In her post, she says Bobby leaves behind his parents and three brothers, and described the Mahers as “an amazing family (that) has lost their son tragically.”
She said Bobby will be missed and “was an amazing son, brother, friend and teammate! Bobby loved his family and was not only an amazing kid in school, but in general.”
The teen had a passion for playing basketball and that all who knew him and the family “are heartbroken and will never be the same without him.”
The Charges
The affidavit states officers recovered a knife from the grassy area near the mall entrance as well as two balaclava masks.
Court records show that Harris was on probation for possession of controlled substances at the time of the incident and had previously violated his probation due to theft charges from a previous incident.
The first-degree murder charge that Plunkett faces is punishable by death or up to life in prison.
The conspiracy to commit first-degree murder charges that both suspects face is a felony punishable by death, or life in prison.
The aggravated assault and battery charges carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and fine of not more than $10,000 or both.
The theft charges are a misdemeanor punishable by not more than six months in jail and a fine of up to $750 or both.
Bond was set at $500,000 cash for Plunkett and $450,000 for Harris.
Casper Police Department Lt. Scott Jones said Monday that both suspects remain in police custody.
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
