MUNCIE, Ind. — A Muncie man will serve over 100 years in jail after being convicted in the shooting death of a 28-year-old man.
Jason D. Harris, 34, was sentenced Thursday to 105 years in prison after pleading guilty to the 2022 murder of Erik Sparks.
A jury convicted Harris in December on charges of criminal confinement, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, obstruction of justice and theft. Harris was also found to be a habitual offender, due to two prior unrelated felony convictions.
Erik Sparks, 28, was reported missing by a roommate from a home on the southwest side of Muncie. Police said their investigation led them to a location off the Cardinal Greenway, near McGalliard Road, where they found Sparks dead Feb. 8, 2022.
According to court documents, Sparks' roommate, Kyle Harris, reported him missing. He told police that his brother, Jason, had been in an argument with Sparks the night before and had pointed a gun at Sparks. Kyle told police when he asked Jason where Sparks was, Jason made a motion with his hand, pulling his thumb across his throat as if Sparks was dead.
When police returned to the home later, they said Jason handed them Sparks' wallet.
Police said they were familiar with Jason from numerous incidents involving violence, including a time when he had stabbed his brother, Kyle.
Kyle allegedly told officer that his other brother in Chicago had called him and asked what was going on because Jason had called and said he shot someone and needed to get out of town.
According to court documents, Jason at first told officers he had not been with Sparks the morning of the shooting. Investigators then said Jason told them someone pulled a gun on them on the Cardinal Greenway trail and shot Sparks in the head twice. He claims he then dragged Sparks' body into the woods and covered it with snow because he was worried the police would not believe his story.
According to court documents, Jason led officers to the body. They say he then admitted to getting in an argument with Sparks, walked him down the trail at gunpoint, and then shot and killed him.
