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.
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.
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.
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