A Platte County jury has convicted a man of murder after he shot an unarmed man in the back.
Coty Borst, 28, of Shawnee, Kan., was found guilty of second degree murder and armed criminal action after a three-day trial that ended on Wednesday, March 11.
“This senseless murder took the life of a young man in the prime of his life,” Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said. “There is no justification for murder when an unarmed person is ambushed.”
Prosecutors proved at trial that on June 21, 2018, at about 9 p.m., Borst got into an altercation at a Houston Lake home.
Borst pulled a 9mm handgun and fired into the back of Jacob Stowers.
Borst then fled the house and hid in a creek. Borst was apprehended following a manhunt involving multiple agencies and assisted by a K-9 officer.
Coty Borst
Borst was interviewed by detectives from the Platte County Sheriff’s Department, where he offered multiple inconsistent stories, including being shot at by the victim. Forensic evidence confirmed that only Borst had a gun, and no other firearm was involved.
Borst testified in his own defense at trial. He admitted to shooting Stowers after a verbal altercation in a home in Houston Lake. Borst claimed that he believed Stowers intended to get a gun.
Borst told the jury he hid behind a corner in the house as he decided to shoot Stowers. He then walked into a living room and fired at Stowers, hitting him in the back.
Although Borst claimed he acted in self-defense, he admitted that he never saw Stowers with a gun. Evidence presented at trial showed that there was only a single shot fired, no other weapons were present, and the victim did not threaten Borst.
“This defendant told lie after lie to detectives in an attempt to cover up his crime,” Zahnd said. “However, the dedicated work of law enforcement and stellar forensic evidence led the jury to the truth. Jacob Stowers’ family can now rest easy, knowing that justice was served.”
Borst faces up to life in prison on the murder charge. Judge James Van Amburg set Borst’s sentencing hearing for April 23.
The case was investigated by the Platte County Sheriff’s Department, the Kansas City Police Department, the Riverside Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Blake Sherer and Kaitlynn Donnelly.