Witness says he saw man shoot Domorlo McCaster

Terrell Hunt said he watched the sun come up outside the rear driver-side window of the GMC Envoy. Then he glanced over to his right to see Malcolm Harris raise a black pistol in his right hand and shoot Domorlo McCaster in the back of the head at very close range, the barrel of the weapon almost touching McCaster.

Hunt exchanged a glance with Harris for a split second, Hunt testified Thursday. He could not describe the look Harris gave him, other than it was the look of a man who just had shot someone.

Hunt quickly got out of the vehicle and started running to his sister’s house.

“I don’t know what he was thinking,” Hunt said. “I was scared. I had never seen anything like that.”

At a preliminary hearing Thursday, Hunt and Rodney Smith, 28, of Cape Girardeau testified they were both in the vehicle with Harris and McCaster on May 14 when Harris shot McCaster, also 28.

Judge Gary Kamp found sufficient probable cause to bind the case over for trial.

Cape Girardeau County’s prosecuting attorney’s office on May 27 charged Harris, 24, of Cape Girardeau with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm and tampering with physical evidence. The complaint recently was amended to charge Harris with first-degree murder.

Smith said he was with Harris most of the day May 13, and he had started taking pills, Xanax and Percocet that morning. During the day, they compared firearms — Smith was carrying a Glock 19, and Harris had a Ruger P89, Smith said.

Harris and Smith had been drinking earlier that night before they met up with McCaster and Hunt on Benton Street about 2 a.m. May 14.

Hunt said Smith, who is his cousin, texted him, and when he got in the vehicle, McCaster was with them.

Smith and Hunt said they drove to Smith’s mother’s house in the 900 block of Fort Street and stayed in the vehicle, which was parked in the driveway.

Over the course of two to three hours, the three of them smoked marijuana, snorted cocaine and took Xanax and Percocet, Hunt and Smith testified.

Hunt said they were drinking as well.

Smith and Hunt said they thought everyone was getting along.

“From what I could see,” Hunt said. “I didn’t hear no arguing.”

Then Harris shot McCaster in the back of the head about 5 a.m., Smith and Hunt said.

Forensic pathologist Russell Deidiker testified the bullet entered at the base of McCaster’s skull, just under his ear.

Smith said he jumped out of the car and pulled his gun because he thought they were getting shot at from the outside.

Harris also left the vehicle, stared at McCaster and told Smith he was sorry, Smith said.

Smith told Harris’ lawyer, Stephen Wilson, he did not ask why Harris shot McCaster.

Hunt had run away at this point.

“Not long,” Hunt responded when Wilson asked how long he stayed in the vehicle. “How long would you have stayed? Ten seconds; I don’t know. I was a hot potato.”

Smith said Harris handed him the Ruger pistol and told him to get rid of it. Smith said he threw the gun alongside his mother’s house on Fort Street.

Smith said he and Harris then got back into the vehicle and drove to a wooded area near Ranney Park, and Smith moved McCaster’s body, eventually placing it about six feet into the wooded area.

Smith said they drove to Clarissa Simpson’s house in the 1700 block of Montgomery Street, where Smith started cleaning the front passenger seat as Harris stood there watching.

Simpson was Harris’ girlfriend.

Harris told Smith they needed to get rid of the vehicle and days later gave Smith $15 and instructions to burn the vehicle, which belonged to his girlfriend, Shaneika Robinson, Smith said.

“Mr. McCaster was shot in your girlfriend’s car, you dragged the body out, you throw the gun away, and you cleaned up this vehicle while Mr. Harris stands around?” Wilson asked.

Smith told Wilson he was not receiving a deal from the prosecution.

“No promises whatsoever,” Smith said.

The Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney’s office charged Smith; Simpson, 28, of Cape Girardeau; and Robinson, 27, of Sikeston, Missouri, with tampering with physical evidence in the case, and they all have been incarcerated.

Robinson testified in a separate preliminary hearing for Simpson they drove the vehicle and left it in Illinois on May 14.

They drove back to the vehicle May 16 and then moved it to Tennessee.

Robinson said Harris told them to burn the vehicle, but she was unwilling to do so because she still was making payments on it.

Later on May 14, Smith went back to his mother’s house and grabbed Harris’ gun, he said. He then drove to the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge and threw his gun and Harris’ gun in the Mississippi River.

When asked by Wilson, Smith said he had no previous knowledge Harris planned to shoot McCaster.

Hunt said McCaster was his best friend and responded more emphatically to the same question.

“If I did, he would not have been in that car, and I would not have been in that car,” Hunt said. “You can believe that.”

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

900 block of Fort Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.