The man accused of the fatal shooting of a civil process server and an Independence police officer on Thursday had recently suffered the loss of his home and property due to unpaid taxes.
Acree, who is 69 years old, is facing charges for two counts of first-degree murder, as well as assault in the first degree for injuring a police officer. In addition, he is also being charged with three counts of armed criminal action.
According to property records in Jackson County, it has been revealed that a resident of Independence recently acquired a home and property. The estimated value of the property is $675,500 as of 2023. Notably, the new owner displayed responsibility by promptly settling the outstanding taxes on the property. Just last week, they issued a personal check amounting to $18,543 to cover the taxes owed for the years 2022 and 2023.
During a news conference on Friday morning, Jean Peters Baker, the Jackson County Prosecutor, revealed that Thursday was not the first occasion when Mack had visited the property.
According to the probable cause affidavit detailing the charges, a notice to vacate was posted on the premises on Feb. 23. The notice stated that it was issued in response to a request for a writ of possession, which had been finalized on Feb. 9.
“We ended up here due to a lengthy eviction process,” Baker explained.
According to Acree, the court had been in the process of ordering her to vacate the premises for quite some time.
Process servers return to rural Independence home
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On Thursday, Mack and his team, according to Baker, revisited the residence to finalize the eviction process.
They reached the property on North Elsea Smith Road in the 1110 block around 1 p.m. on Thursday.
According to Baker, the authorities ensured the proper security and safety measures were taken before entering the property. He mentioned that they made sure to knock and announce their presence before proceeding.
No one responded to the call. At that moment, the process servers took action and proceeded to remove the locks, as she recounted. According to the probable cause statement, a property maintenance contractor had drilled out the lock on the front door.
As soon as Mack entered the front door of the house, he stumbled and fell.
Independence police officers swiftly arrived at the scene, where they were also faced with gunfire, according to Baker. Despite the danger, their primary objective was to rescue Mr. Mack and provide him with the necessary medical attention.
Acree was apprehended and brought to a nearby hospital. Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman declined to disclose the nature of his injuries or provide any further information regarding the incident at the residence.
According to court records, Acree is currently in custody with a $2 million cash-only bond.
Larry D. Acree’s tax problems
According to property records in Jackson County, Acree purchased the 9-acre property back in 2005. The house, which has three bedrooms and spans 2,419 square feet, was also constructed in the same year, as per the records.
According to court and property records, it is evident that Acree has been facing financial difficulties for quite some time. He filed for bankruptcy in 1992 and again in 2004. Additionally, in 2012, the Missouri Department of Revenue placed a tax lien on him, resulting in a judgment of $12,628. These records indicate a long-standing struggle with financial stability for Acree.
GSM Corp. had his wages garnished, and they fully satisfied the judgment in 2016.
According to records, Acree had outstanding taxes from 2019 to 2023 totaling $1,150 for various vehicles including a livestock trailer, two utility trailers, a pickup truck, an SUV, and two horse trailers.
In the summer of 2023, Acree’s property was subjected to a real estate levy by a roofing company, amounting to $32,155.34.
The property was purchased by the new owner on August 14, 2023, in a delinquent tax sale for $260,000, as per the available records. The sale was officially confirmed on November 20. Furthermore, on February 22, the new owner made a payment of $18,543 to clear the outstanding back taxes.
‘Simply devastated’
The loss of Allen and Mack has deeply impacted two law enforcement communities in Jackson County.
Officer Allen was always seen with a smile on his face, according to Dustman.
“He was the type of person who would always be there when you went out on a call, ready to defuse any situation in an instant,” Dustman said on Thursday. “He was always there to support you and had your back.”
According to a statement released by Judge Jalilah Otto of the Jackson County Circuit Court, the lasting effects of this loss will be felt.
“We are profoundly saddened by the tragic loss of life of someone who was dutifully fulfilling their responsibilities on behalf of the Court,” expressed Otto. “Our heartfelt sympathies go out to Mr. Mack’s family, as well as the families of the Independence Police Department officers who also experienced profound tragedies on this fateful day.”
The prosecutor expressed his feelings about the situation, stating, “This is truly a challenging day.”
According to Baker, charges serve as a means to demonstrate the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, even during its most challenging and difficult moments.
“But I believe that every one of us would simply love to turn back time.”
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