​Henry Boyce, Prosecuting Attorney for the Third Judicial District, announced that today, on what would have been the fourth birthday for Tacquari Briggs, a Jackson County jury of six men and six women found Robert Reese Friar guilty of her murder. Friar, 37, of Newport, was found guilty of the charge of Capital Murder in the February 27, 2013 shooting death of Tacquari Briggs, 20 months old, as she lay in bed with her mother, Delana Aquirre and her brother, Jarviyon Benneth. Briggs was struck by one bullet which traveled through her heart and lung killing her. Aquirre was struck by three bullets and survived the shooting. Friar was convicted of two counts of Attempted Capital Murder for shooting Aquirre in close proximity to Benneth.
​In the early morning hours of February 27, 2015 Robert Friar stood outside the bedroom window of Delana Aquirre and fired seven shots at the bedroom window. Prosecutors argued the shooting was motivated by jealousy. Six shots entered the residence and one struck the outside window sill. For the seven bullets shot Friar was convicted of seven counts of committing a Terroristic Act.
​After approximately three hours of deliberation the jury found Friar guilty and sentenced Friar to the following charges:
1. One Count of Capital Murder – Sentence Life without Parole
2. Two Counts of Attempted Capital Murder – Sentence 50 years
3. Seven Counts of Committing a Terroristic Act – Sentence 115 years
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​The jury recommended all sentences to be served consecutively for a total of Life in Prison without parole plus 165 years.
​Boyce said, “This was an extremely violent crime which involved 16 witnesses and eight days of trial. The jury’s verdict hopefully sends a message that gun violence will not be tolerated in the Third District.â€