Man Who Admitted Guilt in Shooting Teen at Wrong Door Dies

MISSION, Kan.—An 86-year-old man from Missouri has passed away just days after entering a guilty plea to a lesser charge related to the 2023 shooting of Ralph Yarl, a young black honor student who mistakenly rang his doorbell, prosecutors revealed on Wednesday.

Andrew Lester, residing in Kansas City, faced charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action following the shooting of the then-16-year-old, who survived and is now a freshman at Texas A&M University. Prior to the commencement of his trial, Lester pleaded guilty on Friday to a reduced charge of second-degree assault, which could result in a sentence of up to seven years. Sentencing was set for March 7.

Cher Congour, a representative for the Clay County prosecutor’s office, noted that Lester’s attorney informed them of his passing.

“We have learned of Andrew Lester’s death and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family during this challenging time,” the prosecutor’s office mentioned in a press release. “While the legal proceedings are now concluded, we recognize that Mr. Lester accepted responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty in this instance.”

The press release did not specify the cause of death. The Kansas City police stated they would not be conducting an investigation into the death. Furthermore, Sarah Boyd, a spokesperson for the Clay County sheriff’s office, indicated she had no information regarding Lester’s cause of death since he was not in custody, but mentioned he had been in “poor health” during last week’s plea hearing.

The family of Yarl issued a written statement on Wednesday expressing that the incident was one of the reasons they had advocated for a prompt trial.

On the night of April 13, 2023, Yarl knocked on Lester’s door after he confused the streets while trying to pick up his twin siblings.

Lester’s defense attorney, Steve Salmon, contended that Lester acted in self-defense, feeling threatened by the unfamiliar individual knocking at his door as he was settling down for the night. Officials stated that Lester shot Yarl twice: first in the head, and then in the arm.

Yarl narrated at a hearing that after ringing the bell, he waited for what felt like “longer than usual” before someone answered. As the inner door opened, he reached for the storm door, mistakenly thinking he was at the home of his brothers’ friends’ parents.

He recounted how Lester shot him in the head while saying, “Don’t come here ever again.” Although the bullet did not penetrate the brain, the blow knocked Yarl to the ground, and then Lester shot him in the arm. The teenager was hospitalized and released three days later.

The shooting took a significant emotional toll on Yarl and his family, who subsequently filed a lawsuit against the retired aircraft mechanic.

Salmon revealed last year that Lester’s health had greatly declined, citing issues such as heart problems and a broken hip that required hospitalization. Additionally, Lester lost 50 pounds, a change that Salmon attributed to the stress from extensive media coverage and the death threats that followed.

During the hearing on Friday, Lester was wheeled into the courtroom, appearing hunched over with his hands folded. When asked if he was in poor health, he confirmed affirmatively.

A mental evaluation of Lester had previously been mandated by the judge, who allowed the trial to proceed afterward; however, the findings of that evaluation were not made publicly available.

Lester’s grandson, Daniel Ludwig, did not respond immediately to a text inquiry from The Associated Press for comments.