Man charged with aiding friend's suicide in Hazelwood, MO

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/laworder/story/A1A250701AC295DE862575D700175103?OpenDocument

HAZELWOOD — Alex Ryan Harkins bounded out of his home in Florissant with buddy Jacob A. Runge the night of May 29, telling his mother they had things do to. The young men went to two hunting stores to buy a pistol and bullets, officials say. Then they drove to the hilly, wooded St. Stanislaus Conservation Area, on the bluffs near the Missouri River in Hazelwood.

They had made a suicide pact, Runge later told police. The plan was for both to kill themselves in the woods because they hated life and the world, he would eventually explain to Harkins' parents.

So among the trees where Harkins often went to escape persistent depression, Runge, 22, test-fired the gun. Then he handed it to Harkins, 21, who shot himself in the head, authorities said.

But Runge did not go through with the plan, police said. He tromped out of the woods with the weapon, leaving behind his dying or dead friend.

Harkins' body was found four days later, on June 2, after a worried Daniel Harkins tracked down Runge and confronted him about his missing son's whereabouts.

Runge, of St. Peters, now sits in the St. Louis County jail, charged with voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action related to the death of his friend. He was held Monday in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Under Missouri law, the charge of voluntary manslaughter applies to someone who "knowingly assists another in the commission of self murder." Prosecutors allege that Runge did just that when he bought the gun and handed it to Harkins.

Harkins had been in a daily battle with depression for at least seven years, occasionally talking about suicide and the challenges of getting through life, his parents said. He regularly visited psychiatrists and therapists and was on medication.

My take?

The police are right. I understand that he was just a teenager himself and teenagers do stupid stuff all the time! But the minute he saw that his friend had shot himself, he should have gotten help IMMEDIATELY!

The fact that this teen, now charged with voluntary manslaughter, was suicidal, I'm sure the judge will recommend that he seek psychiatric counseling.

His friend, who he left dying or dead in the woods, doesn't have that opportunity anymore.

There is a distinct possibility that the boy that proceeded with the plan was still alive in the woods when he shot himself. That means, a possibility that he could have survived his head wound.

Now we will never know.