Platte City Murder-Rapist Convicted
A man who murdered his best friend and then raped that man’s wife was found guilty following a week-long trial in Platte County Circuit Court. Jacob E. McGinnis, 27, of Kansas City, was convicted of first degree murder, rape, first degree burglary, and two counts of armed criminal action.
Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said, “On September 10, 2005, this rape victim’s life as she knew it ended because the defendant murdered her husband and then raped her as her three-year-old son listened from the next room. Now, Judge Abe Shafer will end the defendant’s life as he knows it, because the defendant will spend the rest of his life in prison without the chance of parole.”
Prosecutors proved at trial that at about 1:43 a.m. on September 10, 2005, the Platte City Police Department went to the scene of a 911 hang up call. Police officers contacted a woman who reported McGinnis held a shotgun on her and raped her.
The victim said McGinnis and her husband were best friends, and McGinnis had been at her and her husband’s home earlier that night. Hours later, the rape victim’s husband was found murdered near I-29 and Bethel Road.
Detectives testified that the murder victim had three gunshot wounds to his back. Police found three spent 12-gauge shotgun rounds at the murder scene, Camel cigarette butts, empty Natural Light beer cans, and an empty red bag of peanuts.
When police searched McGinnis’ residence, they found empty cans of Natural Light beer, an empty Camel cigarette pack, and several red bags of peanuts.
McGinnis was arrested September 10, 2005, in Putnam County, Missouri. Police searched McGinnis’ vehicle. They found blood on the outside of the vehicle, a bag of peanuts, red shotgun shells similar to the shells found at the murder scene, and a shotgun.
The victim testified that after raping her, the defendant told her “I’m sorry, Karen, I think I’ve scarred you for life.” She also testified that her son, who was awake during her rape, now experiences recurring nightmares about “Mommy screaming.”
McGinnis had pled not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to his crimes.
In his closing argument, Zahnd told the court that about a year before the murder the defendant told a therapist “I’m not crazy, but just evil.” Zahnd argued, “That may be the defendant’s only honest assessment of his mental health.”
McGinnis remains held in lieu of a $1,000,000 cash bond. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6 at 2:00 p.m. by Judge Abe Shafer.
The case was investigated by the Platte City and Kansas City Police Departments. Zahnd tried the case personally, with his First Assistant Prosecutor Mark Gibson and Assistant Prosecutor Amy Ashelford.