Tom Pickert. Photo courtesy of Fowler Pickert Eisenmenger.
Summary: A lawyer in Kansas City was murdered on Wednesday morning in front of his home.
On Wednesday morning, a Kansas City law firm partner was gunned down in his front yard after he had dropped his children off at school.
Tom Pickert, 39, had no signs of life when police were called to the scene, ABC News reported. Pickert’s wife said she heard a gunshot outside, and she had called 911 immediately. During her call, she said that the suspect had a white van with no back window.
Pickert was a partner at Fowler Pickert Eisenmenger, LLC. According to the company website, “Tom devotes 100% of his practice to representing injury victims and their families. He has significant trial and appellate experience and has successfully represented clients in both state and federal court. Over the course of his career, Tom has handled a variety of personal injury matters with an emphasis on medical malpractice and nursing home and long-term care abuse cases.”
Pickert was married to a physician, and they had two sons. He attended law school at the University of Kansas and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri–Kansas City.
Police stated that they found the suspect’s van Wednesday afternoon, but that it was unoccupied in an undisclosed location. According to KCTV, the van’s owner, David Jungerman, was identified. Jungerman was questioned and has a relationship to Pickert, but so far, no arrests have been made.
Pickert was shot around 8 a.m. on Wednesday. He had been sitting on his porch while his wife was inside.
A spokesperson for the Kansas City, Missouri police asked that residents be vigilant in looking for the subject.
“As with any homicide or with any event in the community, we again would just remind everyone to be vigilant,” Maj. Donna Greenwell told KMBC. “If people have concerns in regards to their safety, I would ask that they reach out to their local police department.”
According to The Kansas City Star, the shooter may have walked up to Pickert and shot him at close range. The newspaper said that Pickert may have been the victim of a businessman he had beaten in court, and that man was Jungerman. Earlier this summer, Pickert had won a $5.75 million case against Jungerman, who had shot a homeless man who had entered his property.
This summer, authorities began to seize the businessman’s property in relation to the case, and on Wednesday, police searched Jungerman’s home and business. So far, no arrests have been made.
Picket’s law firm released a statement yesterday, stating that Pickert will be missed.
“We are shocked and devastated by the senseless and sudden loss of our friend and partner, Tom Pickert. Tom was a passionate and fearless advocate for his clients, and that passion permeated all aspects of his life,” Ryan Fowler, Pickert’s law partner, said. “He was a wonderful father, husband and friend. The way he lived his life inspired us to not only be better attorneys, but better people.”