Andrew Lester, the Missouri man who pleaded guilty to shooting Ralph Yarl, dies

Andrew Lester, the Missouri man who pleaded guilty in the 2023 shooting of Ralph Yarl, has died while awaiting sentencing, prosecutors say.

Andrew Lester dies

“We have learned of the passing of Andrew Lester and extend our sincere condolences to his family during this difficult time,” prosecutors said in a statement.

“While the legal proceedings have now concluded, we acknowledge that Mr. Lester did take responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty in this case. Our thoughts remain with both families affected by this tragic incident as they continue their healing process.”

Lester, 86, was set to go on trial this week for shooting the teen who mistakenly knocked on his door, but ahead of the trial, he pleaded guilty under a plea deal on Friday, Feb. 14, for felony assault in the second degree.

Lester was expected to be sentenced on March 7.

Teen mistakenly knocked on the wrong door

On April 13, 2023, a then 16-year-old Yarl showed up on Lester’s porch after mixing up the streets while picking up his younger siblings from their friend’s house.

Lester, who was getting ready for bed that night, shot him in the head and said, “Don’t come here ever again,” Yarl testified during trial.

Yarl was knocked to the ground and then Lester reportedly shot him in the arm.

The teen made a full recovery after suffering a traumatic brain injury and has since graduated high school.

He has been described as a “walking miracle with a head of steel.”

After the plea deal was made, Yarl’s family expressed frustration with the criminal justice system, saying it does not erase the trauma the teen and the family endured, nor does it address perceived failures in the criminal justice system, including racial bias.

“While this marks a step toward accountability, true justice requires consequences that reflect the severity of his actions — anything less would be a failure to recognize the harm,” the family said in a statement to NBC. “This case has never been just about Ralph — it is about every child’s right to exist without being seen as a threat”.