KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree filed capital murder charges Wednesday against Dennis Mitchell III, in connection with the line-of-duty death of Kansas City, Kansas, Police Ofc. Hunter Simoncic.
In addition to the capital murder charge, Dupree charged Mitchell, 31, with felony fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, two counts of felony theft and felony criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.
It's the second capital murder charge filed by Dupree's office in the last month. In July, Dupree charged Shawn Harris with capital murder in the line of duty death of Wyandotte County Sheriff's Deputy Elijah Ming.
Several days after the charges, Dupree announced his intent to seek the death penalty against Harris if he is convicted. Dupree could also seek the death penalty against Mitchell. He faces a 10-day deadline to make that announcement.
Dupree discussed the charges in a news conference on Wednesday afternoon. He spent much of the time taking questions about Mitchell's criminal past, which has included cases in both Kansas and Missouri.
Earlier Wednesday, KSHB 41 News reporter Alyssa Jackson obtained court documents revealing that Mitchell had fled police in a March 2020 case in Jackson County, Missouri.
A Wyandotte County criminal case against Mitchell involving drug possession was continuing to work its way through the legal system at the time of Tuesday morning's incident that killed Simoncic.
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