Six months after the fatal eviction attempt, the new homeowner is suing Larry Acree, who is accused of murder

More than six months after an Independence man allegedly shot a police officer and a court employee during an eviction attempt from his rented home, the owners of the house are suing him for damages.

Larry Acree, 70, was charged with shooting Independence police Officer Cody Allen and Jackson County Bailiff Drexel Mack on Feb. 29. Two other Independence police officers were also injured in the shooting.

The lawsuit was filed Aug. 6 in Jackson County District Court by Craig Fedynich, who purchased Acree's former home with his wife, July, in early February. He, along with Mack, was one of three people who arrived at Acree's home at 1111 N. Elsea Smith Road on the morning of Feb. 29 to conduct the eviction.

After Mack knocked on Acree's door and a contractor picked his lock, gunfire erupted from Acree's home, killing Mack, according to court documents. Three Independence police officers responded to the shooting and exchanged gunfire with Acree, fatally shooting Allen before Acree was taken into custody.

Craig Fedynich witnessed the shooting from the end of the driveway, according to the lawsuit. He was also responsible for making a 911 call after the shooting.

A Jackson County grand jury indicted Acree in March on 18 counts, including two counts of first-degree murder. In May, prosecutors announced they were seeking the death penalty. Acree was assigned a new public defender in July.

According to court documents, Fedynich and his wife, Julie, purchased the Independence home at auction on Aug. 14, 2023. The sale was completed on Nov. 20, and Fedynich was issued a deed to the property on Feb. 1, four weeks before the fatal shooting.

According to the lawsuit, Fedynich's attorneys estimated that Acree caused more than $25,000 in damage to the home, including broken windows and doors, bullet holes, damaged floors and several dead animals in varying states of decomposition on site.

According to the lawsuit, Fedynich was traumatized by the shooting.

The lawsuit also alleged that at the time the house was auctioned, Acree was three years behind on property taxes.

Fedynich will make his first court appearance for a conference hearing on January 8, 2025 at 8:00 a.m.

This article used previous reporting by Kendrick Calfee and Nathan Pilling, Robert A. Cronkleton and Katie Moore of The Star.