Alleged sniper in '94 shooting of trooper remains at large

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- It was Bobbie Harper's 25th wedding anniversary and he had begun fixing himself a bowl of ice cream when a sniper's bullet passed through a kitchen window and slammed into the Missouri state trooper's body.

Harper survived the attack on Sept. 16, 1994, but died two years later during heart surgery. Meanwhile, the man authorities believe shot Harper remains at large.

The case is receiving renewed attention in the wake of sniper shootings in the Washington area that has left nine people dead and two wounded.

"When I first heard about the sniper shootings in Washington, it immediately reminded me of Bob's case," said Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Replogle, who worked with Harper early in his career. "It's extremely frustrating. We have run down all the leads we can. There's an investigator assigned full-time to follow leads, and we are doing whatever we can in the case."

The suspect in the case, Timothy Coombs, 43, is alleged to have waited outside Harper's rural Anderson home before shooting him from more than 100 yards away.

Police say the shooting was in retaliation for Harper's arrest of Robert Joos, the leader of a cult that Coombs belonged to called the "Sacerdotal Order of the David Company."

Coombs is charged in federal court with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. In McDonald County where the shooting occurred, he is charged with assault of a law enforcement officer and armed criminal action -- both felonies.

Earlier this year, an FBI anti-terrorism task force offered up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest Coombs. The task force believes Coombs may have sought refuge with friends or relatives in 13 states, including Missouri and Kansas, and that he may have fled to Canada, Central America or Europe. His last known address was in Witts Springs, Ark.

Jeff Lanza, a spokesman for the FBI office in Kansas City, said the Washington shootings may make people more sensitive to the Harper case and could provide new leads.

"The case in Washington has brought the aspect of sniper shootings to the top of people's awareness," Lanza said. "Even though we're not happy with the situation in Washington, if it generates some leads in this case, we'll take them."

The case also received mention Thursday on the Fox Television show "America's Most Wanted," which was focusing on the Washington shootings.

Police learned that Coombs was the shooter after matching the bullet removed from Harper with a bullet found in a field where Coombs had conducted target practice in Arkansas.