He Told Police His Child Had Been Raped — Then Was Gunned Down After Refusing $12,000 Bribe: Police
The father of a teen who authorities say was the victim of a statutory rape refused an alleged bribe from the suspect's sister, Lavonda Harmon, and an unidentified man
Months later, the father was killed by a man who was found fatally shot that same day
Harmon is charged with tampering with a witness in a felony prosecutionA Missouri father who reported that his child had been the victim of statutory rape was allegedly offered several thousand dollars to stop participating in the investigation. Months after he refused, he was killed in his home.
Later that day, the suspected murderer was found shot to death.
The case dates back to March, when prosecutors in Missouri allege that Lavor Harmon had sexual intercourse with a teenager, according to a grand jury indictment filed in June and obtained by PEOPLE.
From there, the case continued down a dark path. Police in Ferguson, Mo., allege in a criminal complaint that in May, Harmon's sister, Lavonda Harmon, and an unidentified man went to the home of the alleged victim's father and offered him $12,000.
Authorities allege that Lavonda and the man went to the home in an attempt to dissuade the father from cooperating with the investigation into Lavor, who had not yet been charged.
The father refused the alleged bribe, police claim.
In a motion to increase Lavor Harmon's bail, obtained by PEOPLE, prosecutors say that on July 8, a man went to the father's home and shot and killed him while the alleged statutory rape victim and another minor were there.
Prosecutors say a white Kia was seen driving away from the scene. Later that day, that same man was found killed in St. Louis while the car was discovered burned nearby.
Lavonda Harmon, a resident of Houston, Texas, is now charged with one count of tampering with a witness in a felony prosecution.Lavor Harmon is charged with three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and one count of second-degree statutory rape.
It is not immediately clear if either sibling has entered a plea in relation to the charges. Lavor Harmon's bond is now set at $2 million.
'The facts of the case are alarming enough,' prosecutors say in the motion, 'but while this warrant has been active, investigations have revealed that the Defendant, his family members, and associates have engaged in criminal activity that demonstrates the significant danger he poses to the victim and community.'
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