Home Debt Dealer sentenced for killing man over drug debt in Tacoma

Dealer sentenced for killing man over drug debt in Tacoma

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A drug dealer who fatally shot a man inside his Tacoma home for not paying what he owed was sentenced Friday.

Antione Lavar Larkins, 36, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for killing Earl Harris III, 53, on Jan. 17, 2022. He was sentenced in Pierce County Superior Court to 20 years, five months in prison.

On the night of the shooting, Harris was hanging out with friends at his home in the 800 block of South Sheridan Avenue. Larkins knocked on the door at 5:40 p.m. and attacked Harris, charging documents show.

One witness told police that Larkins “hit and punch(ed) the victim in the head shortly after the victim let the defendant into the house. He then saw the defendant reach into his waistband area with his right hand and produce a handgun,” documents show.

Larkins pushed Harris into a wall and shot him multiple times. When Harris’ friends saw that Larkins was armed, they ran. Larkins told police in 2022 that he and Harris wrestled for the gun and he admitted to shooting him, prosecutors wrote.

Larkins said he “recklessly” killed Harris because they were wrestling over a gun, according to the defendant’s guilty plea statement made on Feb. 5.

Harris called 911 for help and was taken to Tacoma General Hospital where he died. Larkins was identified as a suspect through surveillance footage and anonymous tips. Larkins initially told police that he had not seen Harris since 2019. Then he admitted he went to Harris’ home the night of the shooting. Larkins claimed that Harris attacked him as soon as he walked through the door, but witnesses disputed that, prosecutors wrote.

Harris’ friends said he would often get drugs from Larkins and was known to not pay up, prosecutors wrote.

At the time of his death, Harris was thought to be on a road to recovery after struggling with an opioid addiction, his cousin wrote in a statement to the court on Feb. 12.

“Earl was a strong and vital person, young enough to bounce back from hardship. He had a friend and family support system to back him up in that journey. We have all been robbed of the opportunity to care for him further. I still grieve the loss of my cousin, Earl Harris,” the statement said.

Larkins has felony convictions which include second-degree assault, unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and residential burglary.

Puneet Bsanti is a breaking news reporter for The News Tribune. After she graduated from Washington State University in 2023, she was an intern for the Bellingham Herald. She was born and raised in the Bay Area in California.

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