Wyoming teenager killed while protecting girlfriend, held captive and stabbed

The 14-year-old Wyoming boy who was killed while protecting his girlfriend from two ski-masked teenagers was held down by one of his attackers while the second attacker hacked him to death, prosecutors said.

Dominique Antonio Richard Harris, 15, faces life in prison after pleading not guilty Wednesday to charges of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with his alleged role in the April killing of Bobby Maher at Eastridge Mall in Casper, the Cowboy State Daily reports.

Harris, who is being tried as an adult, admitted to police that he held Harris down to help his alleged co-conspirator, 15-year-old Jarreth Plunkett, stab him, court records show.

Harris claimed he only held Maher “to make sure the fight was over,” but footage of the April 7 attack shows him throwing Maher to the ground and holding him there while Plunkett stabbed the 14-year-old twice.

Officials said Maher rushed to the mall to help his girlfriend after she called him and told him Harris and Plunket were allegedly following her and a friend.

Harris and Plunkett, who are also accused of stealing knives from a Target store before the fight, allegedly confronted Maher because they were angry about an incident that occurred at an Evansville park during spring break, court records show.

Harris claimed that Maher asked the 15-year-olds if they were both “freaks” because he saw them leaving a portable toilet together.

Surveillance footage from the mall showed Maher attempting to escort his girlfriend and her boyfriend out of the mall before Plunkett confronted him.

Harris is charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, aggravated assault and petty theft.

Although he pleaded not guilty, defense attorney Brandon Booth said his client reserves the right to change his plea due to mental illness or impairment.

During the trial, Harris told District Judge Kerri Johnson that he had no knowledge of ever having been diagnosed with a learning disability.

Last week, Plunkett pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or deficiency, after which the judge ordered him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, the Cowboy State Daily reported.