Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight was a thorough but humble litigator, say colleagues

Shock is the No. 1 reaction many community members have expressed after the sudden death of Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight by an apparent gunshot.

Knight was found dead in his south-central Columbia home Saturday morning.

Foul play is not suspected, the Columbia Police Department reported.

An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday, with the final report then being provided to law enforcement, the Boone County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed.

Knight was a "wonderful son and was loved dearly," Knight's mother, Sandy, wrote online, where family, friends and colleagues shared in their grief over the loss of Knight, a Hickman High School and University of Missouri graduate.

"(He) will be so very missed."

More: Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight found dead at his home Saturday

'Prepared, diligent and focused'

Knight was known in the court community for putting extensive effort into any case he headed up as prosecutor, said Boone County Circuit Judge Kevin Crane.

Crane was Knight's immediate predecessor as prosecutor. He promoted Knight as his first-assistant prosecutor in 1999. Following Crane's election to the bench, Knight was elected prosecutor in 2006 for his first of four consecutive terms.

"He would listen repeatedly to recordings of witnesses or defendants. He was very thorough and did a good job," Crane told the Tribune.

Knight's nearly three-decade career with the Boone County Prosecutor's Office began in a time when technology was not as advanced, Crane noted.

"Whatever we had, Dan used it. He was always very prepared, diligent and focused," Crane said.

More: Boone County Sheriff's Office investigates death of Columbia defense attorney Stephen Wyse

Casey Clevenger, treatment court commissioner for the 13th Judicial Circuit, said Knight was willing to change policies so more people could access treatment court programs. Treatment courts are aimed at keeping people out of jail and providing them access to services to reduce recurring offenses.

"He was incredibly dedicated to his work," Clevenger said. "I was so sad to hear the news. ... He was a big supporter of the treatment courts. Any time I was going to make a change, he was open to that.

"I certainly appreciate his support of our treatment court programs and his dedication to Boone County."

A calming influence

On particularly difficult cases, Knight was a calming influence for attorneys representing the defense, said Columbia criminal defense attorney and lawmaker David Tyson Smith, who represents Columbia in the Missouri House, currently for the 45th District.

"Dan was very humble and very fair and always wanted to do the right thing," Smith said. "You could count on him being reliable and reasonable. He was a real credit to the community and the bar association."

Knight was a person always willing to have a conversation, Smith said.

Smith was on the defense side of a first-degree murder trial for which Knight was the head prosecutor, Smith recalled. Smith was in the hallway looking out of the windows leading to the courtroom while on the phone with Knight.

"I was riddled with anxiety and I am talking with Dan. We were trying to work through a piece of the case and he said, 'Dave, we're going to get through this,'" Smith said, adding that statement gave him a sense of peace and comfort. "Even though he was a prosecutor on the other side, I felt like we were kind of on the same team, caught up in this together.

"That is one of my fondest memories of him. What other prosecutor would do that? It was a stressful thing for both of us."

Every time Smith saw Knight, he would always think of him as a friend, Smith said.

"I think everyone is in shock. It is a huge loss, and I think many people are devastated in the community," he said.

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Dedicated public servant

Knight's dedication to his work and passionate advocacy were "unparalleled," the Boone County Commission wrote in a statement.

"His loss will be felt by many, including his colleagues in the courthouse and the law enforcement community," said the statement, which was issued on behalf of the county government. "Each of us will feel this loss and grief in our own way."

The commission encouraged anyone struggling to cope with Knight's death to reach out for assistance.

"I know many in this room are friends and colleagues and potentially went to high school with him," Mayor Barbara Buffaloe said at Monday's Columbia City Council meeting. "It is a loss for our community and he will be missed."

Knight was an integral part of Boone County's law enforcement community, former Mayor Brian Treece said.

"He was committed to public safety and seeking justice for victims. He will be missed," Treece wrote on social media.

Author Laura McHugh got to know Knight through discussion with him surrounding last year's highly publicized murder trial that resulted in a second-degree murder conviction of Joseph Elledge in the killing of Elledge's wife, Mengqi Ji.

"He poured his whole heart into (the case)," McHugh wrote on social media.

After the trial, Ji's parents lauded Knight's effort in bringing justice for their daughter.

More: What to know about Mengqi Ji, who was murdered in Columbia by her husband Joseph Elledge

Charles Dunlap covers courts, public safety and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Please consider subscribing to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Dan Knight known for pouring his whole heart into cases, say friends