Date: 05-29-2016

Case Style: United States of America v. Marcas McGowan

Case Number: 2:15-cr-20007-JAR

Judge:

Court: United States District Court for the District of Kansas (Wyandotte County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Scott C. Rask

Defendant's Attorney: Thomas W. Bartee and Tim Burdick

Description: Kansas City, KS - Atchinson Man Pleads Guilty To Kidnapping, Killing 5-Year-Old Girl

An Atchison man pleaded guilty to federal charges of kidnapping and killing a 5-year-old girl. The charges carry a penalty of life in prison.

Marcas McGowan, 32, Atchison, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death, and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. In his plea, he admitted that on July 18, 2014, he shot and killed the girl after he kidnapped her and exchanged gunfire with police.

The incident began with a domestic dispute between McGowan and his girlfriend, Christina Harris, the mother of the 5-year-old victim. During the argument McGowan threatened Harris with a gun and she called 911. McGowan put Harris’ daughter in his car and drove away as police arrived.

Police pursued McGowan as he drove through downtown Atchison, across the river into Missouri and then back to Leavenworth, Kan., at speeds up to 95 miles an hour. While fleeing from law enforcement, McGowan fired his gun at the officers. On a highway near the northwest corner of Leavenworth he crashed through a barricade and stopped the car. When he got out of the car, he ignored police orders to drop the weapon. The officers returned fire and shot McGowan, who eventually stopped pointing his gun at the officers.

In the car, police found the girl dead from a gunshot wound. Forensic evidence revealed McGowan had shot her at close range with a 9 mm handgun while she was in the car.

Sentencing is set for Sept. 6. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of life on the kidnapping charge, which is the statutory minimum penalty. The firearm count requires a statutory minimum penalty of 10 years consecutive to the other sentence.

Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson was appointed as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the purpose of the federal prosecution. Beall commended Thompson, the Atchison Police Department, the Platte County (Mo.) Sheriff’s Office, the Weston (Mo.) Police Department, the Leavenworth Police Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask for their work on the case.

Outcome: Guilty

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Defendant's Experts:

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