FERGUSON, Mo. — A Missouri father who reported the rape of his teenage daughter was gunned down in his Ferguson home this summer. Now, prosecutors say the killing was part of a coordinated plan to silence him — and that the same group later murdered the gunman who carried out the shooting.
Authorities announced this week that three family members — Lavor Harmon, Anthony L. Young, and Anthony D. Young — have been indicted on six charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and charges related to tampering with evidence and arson.
Harmon also faces three counts of statutory sodomy and one count of statutory rape stemming from the original March assault of a 15-year-old girl. Prosecutors said Anthony L. Young is Harmon’s uncle and Anthony D. Young’s father.
The Attempt to Silence a Witness
The victim’s father, Kcoree Warren, was shot and killed inside his Bayview Drive home on July 8. Prosecutors said Warren was targeted because he had gone to police to report the rape of his daughter — a crime allegedly committed by Harmon on March 21.
Court documents say Harmon met the girl while she was walking home from her school bus, exchanged phone numbers, and later picked her up under the guise of taking her shopping before driving her to a home and sexually assaulting her.
After Warren went to police, charges were filed against Harmon on May 19. Ten days later, Harmon’s sister, Lavonda Harmon, allegedly showed up at Warren’s home with a man and offered him $12,000 to stay quiet. Warren refused.
The Killings and Cover-Up
Less than two months later, Warren was shot through the glass door of his home by Andrew Klaus, who prosecutors say was working with Harmon and the Youngs. Klaus was found dead the same day, and the white Kia believed to have been used in the getaway was discovered burned and destroyed.
Investigators allege that Harmon, Anthony L. Young, and Anthony D. Young conspired to have Warren killed, then turned on Klaus to cover their tracks. Although prosecutors have not yet classified the killings as a murder-for-hire plot, they said that could change if further evidence supports it.
Law Enforcement Speaks Out
“This investigation and the apprehension of these three defendants is a result of the hard work of multiple agencies — Ferguson Police, St. Louis County Police, St. Louis City Police, and the FBI,” said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Price Smith. “We are confident these defendants will be held accountable.”
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John Schlesinger said the investigation took four months and uncovered evidence showing the defendants “orchestrated these murders by acting together and with others.”
Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle called the case “one of the most senseless acts of violence our region has seen this year,” and praised the “relentless casework” that led to the arrests.
Remembering a Father and Friend
Warren’s best friend, Joryn Parker, described him as “the best person on Earth” and said he was shot through the front glass door of his home. Broken shards remain scattered there months later.
Neighbor Hugh Dubberly recalled the day of the murder, saying the shooter knocked on his door first before crossing the street to Warren’s house.
“Next thing I know, I heard four or five gunshots,” Dubberly said. “They tried to revive him, and his kids were out there crying. It was just a bad deal all the way around. He was a good dad, a great neighbor. They killed him for trying to do the right thing.”
The Road Ahead
Lavonda Harmon was charged earlier this year with witness tampering related to the same rape case. The man who accompanied her during the bribery attempt has been identified but not charged.
Lavor Harmon remains in St. Louis County custody on a $2 million bond.
Anthony L. Young and Anthony D. Young are being held on unrelated federal charges, with $2 million bonds also set for the murder case.