CASPER — Emotions exploded Thursday into tears and a cry to allow a hug from the supporters of a 17-year-old after being sentenced to spend the next 30-75 years in prison for his role in the April 7, 2024, stabbing death of a 14-year-old at local mall.
“Can I please give him a hug, can I please give him a hug,” a woman sobbed as Dominique Antonio Richard Harris was led out the courtroom by Natrona County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
The teen earlier read a letter to the court apologizing for his actions that resulted in the death of Bobby Maher, which included holding Maher down while another teen stabbed him.
Judge Kerri Johnson had just told Harris, who pleaded guilty last August to conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, that though he wasn’t the one who put a knife twice into the victim’s body, it was his role that made the murder of the teen possible.
“It wasn’t until Mr. Harris went in from behind and slammed him down” that made co-defendant Jarreth Plunkett’s fatal actions possible, the judge said. “Mr. Harris knew that Mr. Plunkett had a knife.
“You knew he was going to be at the mall and hoped he would be at the mall.”
‘Regret'
When he had the opportunity to speak, Harris apologized several times to the court — and to the Maher family — for his actions as he read from a letter he wrote.
“I regret every decision I made on April 7, and I wish I could change it, but I cannot,” Harris said. “I have found God and he has shown me how to walk in peace. … I do take accountability for the part I played.”
Harris asked the judge and the district attorney to give him a “second chance.”
“God bless you and the (Maher) family and those who came to talk on my behalf,” he said.
Johnson said cases like this “are difficult” and noted that Bobby Maher, by all accounts, was “someone special.”
Maher’s parents were in the courtroom, but did not provide a victim statement to the court. Judge Johnson noted that she had received their written statements.
Bobby Maher Sr. told Cowboy State Daily that he believed justice was met in the case.
“I do agree with the judge’s sentence,” he said.
A Follower
The sentencing came after a lengthy argument by Harris’ defense attorney Brandon Booth that told the court had there been trial, he would have argued against Harris’ foreknowledge of what Plunkett would do.
Booth characterized Harris as a follower and loyal friend to Plunkett.
He said both grew up in families where there was little to no parental support or guidance. Plunkett was someone who often bragged about things and acted tough, but would not follow through on his actions, Booth said.
Evidence in the case showed his client, who with Plunkett stole a knife from Target prior to the confrontation with Maher at the mall, did not know at that point that Maher would be at the mall, Booth argued.
He said that Harris, who played basketball with Maher at the YMCA, “did not know” Plunkett’s threats against the 14-year-old were against “that Bobby” until he saw him outside Dick’s Sporting Goods the day of the stabbing.
A police affidavit in the case referenced an incident that sparked the animosity against Maher as being at a park on the city’s east side when both Harris and Plunkett came out of a portable toilet together. Maher allegedly made derogatory remarks about it.
Booth argued the incident never registered with his client.
“It’s not something that imprinted on him,” he said.
A Fight, Not Stabbing
Booth said the day of the murder, Harris believed that there was going to be a fight but did not know beforehand that Plunkett would stab Maher.
He said he believed Harris was “ultimately” guilty of manslaughter, but agreed to the plea deal on the conspiracy to commit second-degree murder charge because Harris was accepting his responsibility in the crime.
Though the plea deal made with District Attorney Dan Itzen called for a potential sentence of 30-75 years, said for the role his client played, a sentence of 25-40 or 28-42 would be more appropriate.
“I don’t believe any form of throwing away the key does justice to the role my client played,” he said.
Itzen asked the court for a sentence of 40-75 years and walked through the circumstances that led to the stabbing and comments from Plunkett to Maher’s friends while Harris was present that there needed to be a “blood debt” for Maher’s comments in the park.
While there have been other killings in Casper over the years, Itzen said the actions of Plunkett and Harris “shocked the conscience of the community.”
He said that on April 7, 2024, Plunkett and Harris went to the mall, stole the knives, brought “sheisty” — or full-face ski masks — and when Maher arrived at the mall put them on.
While Harris had given his knife to “another individual,” a video of the stabbing shows the pair circling around Maher, Itzen said.
The ‘Enforcer’
Itzen said Harris’ body slam of Maher and then standing over the top of him and holding him down allowed Plunkett to stab him.
“The defendant’s role was to be the enforcer,” Itzen argued. “To pick him up and do a body slam. … Bobby Maher paid the blood debt with his life.”
Jaliegah Davis spoke on Harris’ behalf and told the court that she was a certified nursing assistant and had known Harris since 2014 when he was in a home with 10 children and one caregiver.
She said his environment “put him behind” others in learning, and the culture he grew up glorified “drugs, guns, and prisons.”
“He knows this is not who he is and never wants to be like that again,” she said.
Davis said Harris was also “growing in his faith.”
‘Perpetual Grief’
Johnson said the incident at the mall affected those who witnessed it, the families involved and the community in a way that leaves it in “perpetual grief.”
The judge said the community needs a “culture shift” away from the youth violence and other factors that led to Maher’s death.
Johnson said that her sentence of 30-75 years stays within state guidelines for juveniles involved in homicides and noted the Wyoming Supreme Court decision earlier this week affirming a second-degree murder sentence from another Natrona County District Court judge in Castaner v. Wyoming.
“You will have the opportunity to potentially be released,” she said.
Plunkett was sentenced to life in prison for the stabbing on Sept. 5, 2025.
Harris was given credit for 691 days served and ordered to pay with Plunkett $11,118 to the county’s victim’s services fund.
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
