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Couple who purchased Independence home where civil process server, officer were killed file lawsuit

Couple sued Larry Acree, man charged in death of Cody Allen, Drexel Mack
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Larry Acree

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A couple who purchased a home where a Jackson County civil process server and Independence police officer were shot to death is suing the man accused of killing them.

Larry Acree, 70, is charged with first-degree murder among other charges in the death of Drexel Mack and Ofc. Cody Allen.

The pair had responded to the home in the 1100 block of North Elsea Smith and Bundschu Road to evict Acree because he was behind on paying his taxes for several years.

Independence officer shot
One Independence police officer and a civil process server were killed and another officer was injured in a shooting in Independence on Feb. 29, 2024.

Acree owed nearly $30,000 in delinquent taxes after failing to pay for three years from 2019 to 2021.

Julie and Craig Fedynich filed the lawsuit against Acree last month.

The lawsuit states Craig Fedynich purchased the home on Aug. 14, 2023, and the sale was later confirmed by the Jackson County Circuit Court in November 2023.

Craig Fedynich received the deed to the home in February, and on Feb. 29, 2024, the day of the shooting, he accompanied civil process servers and others to evict Acree.

As a result, Craig Fedynich witnessed the chaotic shooting that left Mack and Allen dead.

Civil Process Server Drexel Mack & Officer Cody Allen
Jackson County Civil Process Server Drexel Mack and Independence Police Ofc. Cody Allen were killed in a shooting Thursday in northeast Independence.

After arriving at the home, a maintenance contractor removed a padlock from a gated drive.

Mack and another civil process server then knocked at the home but received no answer, and that's when they drilled out the lock on the front door.

Upon doing so, Acree began firing on Mack and the second civil process server.

Craig Fedynich was standing at the end of the driveway and could hear the gunfire and saw Mack fall to the ground after being shot, according to the lawsuit.

He called 911 and officers with the Independence Police Department responded to the home.

As they entered the home, to render aid to Allen, Acree again opened fire and hit two officers, including Allen.

Craig Fedynich said he now suffers from mental and emotional trauma due to what he witnessed.

He also said his newly acquired home sustained more than $25,000 in damages.

When he entered the property, Craig Fedynich said he saw many bullet holes, broken walls, broken glass, broken doors, destroyed carpet, destroyed flooring, and several dead and decaying animals that Acree neglected.

The couple is suing for property damage, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and loss of consortium — loss of services.