The Platte County community is still reeling from the death of long-time Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd, with his family speaking out this week on his passing.
Eric Zahnd
On Thursday, Sept. 17, at around 2 p.m., news broke of a death investigation at the Platte County Courthouse, with rumor quickly identifying Zahnd as the deceased party. The courthouse was closed that afternoon, and the following day, for the investigation. Word spread that Zahnd had died by suicide, though no cause of death has officially been announced.
The day after his death, Kansas City television outlets began reporting that Zahnd had been under criminal investigation by the Missouri Highway Patrol at the time of his death. No further information on this investigation has been released, though the MSHP pointed to the Platte County Sheriff’s Office as the originator of the investigation. The Sheriff’s Office has not provided any additional details of this investigation and referred the Citizen’s inquiries to the MSHP, which has not responded as of press time.
On Monday, Sept. 21, the Zahnd family released a statement, which is printed in full in this issue. In it, they remember Zahnd as a family man and prosecutor, shed light on this investigation and criticize those who would politicize his death.
“Recent news has referenced an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MHSP), offering no context and understandably causing many to speculate Eric may have been facing criminal prosecution and that these circumstances were the cause of his death, Nothing could be further from the truth. Eric made a mistake and used his official county email to indicate that he would not support the reelection of a candidate. It was a mistake. We know in full health Eric would never have made that error. In the rough world of politics and government leadership, some wanted to exploit a mistake by a good man. We hope that controversy may be ended, and that our family may be allowed to grieve in peace.”
In the statement, the family calls on the MSHP to provide details of this investigation and clarify its statements.
Early this week, Kansas City news outlets have published unverified reports on the nature of the investigation, citing interviews with several officeholders and a situation first reported in the Citizen earlier this year, when Zahnd accused Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker of accessing his email without authorization. The accusations were referred to the MSHP then, during the well-publicized rift between the commission and Zahnd, along with Sheriff Erik Holland, over what Zahnd and Holland characterized as cuts to law enforcement budgets.
A visitation service for Zahnd will be held from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23 at the First Baptist Church of Platte City. Funeral services will follow at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 at the church and will be live streamed. Interment will be in Savannah Cemetery, Savannah.
Born in St. Joseph on Aug. 19, 1968, Zahnd graduated as valedictorian of the Savannah R-III High School Class of 1987, and summa cum laude in 1991 from William Jewell College. At Jewell, Zahnd pursued political science, economics, and philosophy through the Oxbridge Honors Program; served as student body president; and spent his junior year at Cambridge University in England.
He graduated with honors from Duke Law School in 1996. While at Duke, he was inducted into the Order of the Coif, served as an editor of a law journal, and earned a master’s degree in philosophy.
After working in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, the Missouri Governor’s Commission on Crime and six years in private practice at Bryan Cave, Zahnd was elected Platte County Prosecuting Attorney in 2002, becoming the longest-serving prosecutor in county history. He led an office of nearly 30 employees, including 14 attorneys. He supported diversion programs and treatment courts for nonviolent offenders. His office operated Platte CARES and supported drug, DWI, mental health, and veterans’ court programs. He prioritized child safety, helped establish one of Missouri’s early cyber-crimes efforts to pursue internet predators, and was recognized nationally and locally for his work.
While in office, Zahnd helped improve Missouri criminal law through work related to Jessica’s Law, repeat drunk-driver penalties, recorded interrogations in dangerous felony cases, and evidence rules for repeat child sex offender cases. He was named Missouri’s Prosecutor of the Year in 2014 for helping establish best practices for prosecutors and leading national discussions on the topic. His professional excellence was also recognized by Missouri and Kansas “Super Lawyers,” Missouri Lawyers Weekly, Ingram’s “40 Under 40,” and the 2026 President’s Award from the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.
He also served civic, professional, and church organizations, including the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, National District Attorneys Association, Missouri Humanities Council, William Jewell College Alumni Board of Governors, Northland Alternative Service Program, and Kansas City-area domestic violence and child protection efforts. Donations in his memory are suggested to Synergy Services, MOCSA or Christ Church Anglican.
Zahnd was set to retire at the end of this term, with term-limited Missouri Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer running unopposed as the county’s next prosecuting attorney. Zahnd’s long-time first assistant prosecutor Mark Gibson was named interim prosecutor by the Platte County Circuit Court.
“Eric’s passing is a profound loss for our office, the people who work here in the office and our community,” Gibson said. “My thoughts are with his family during this incredibly difficult time. I am committed to honoring his legacy by ensuring the work of this office continues without interruption. The people of Platte County can count on me, our attorneys and our staff to continue carrying out their responsibilities with the same integrity, professionalism and commitment to justice they have come to expect.”
ZAHND FAMILY STATEMENT
Eric Zahnd was a loving husband and father, and a great friend and colleague to so many. Losing Eric has been a staggering blow and our hearts are shattered. And while we would prefer to grieve in private, we recognize Eric was a public figure. The tragedy of his passing is not only shared by his many admirers but also exploited by those who opportunistically use the occasion to damage his stellar reputation.
We are grateful to so many who have expressed their admiration for Eric’s accomplishments as a leader in justice. We deeply appreciate the leaders from all over Missouri and Kansas City who have taken the time in this awful moment to reach out and reflect on Eric’s character and integrity. We also appreciate the media whose work has helped remind us all of Eric’s accomplishments and his legacy of building a better world in the justice system in Platte County, in the KC metro, and in Missouri. Eric truly was a champion of the most vulnerable.
Eric paid a great cost for his accomplishments. Every case carried a solemn responsibility to pursue justice, and it meant sharing in the pain of victims, wading through images, evidence, and testimony that seared the heart. The accumulated wounds of over two decades of service left their mark.
In recent months, Eric began to get the help he needed in assessing the toll his life’s work took on his mental health. We were so glad that he did, although it was humbling to acknowledge the challenge. Knowing he now shared what so many in America’s law enforcement, emergency responders, and military communities face, Eric had started to lay out a plan to help himself and others get the help they need. But he also knew he would have to change his vocation. In quiet conversations with family, colleagues, and close friends, Eric decided to close the chapter of his life serving as Platte County Prosecuting Attorney. He was choosing the moment to explain why and how he wanted to help lead in a new way. When he made that decision, Eric noted that while the “job [had] brought great joy to [his] life,” it had also been accompanied by “considerable pain.”
Recent news has referenced an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MHSP), offering no context and understandably causing many to speculate Eric may have been facing criminal prosecution and that these circumstances were the cause of his death. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Eric made a mistake and used his official county email to indicate that he would not support the reelection of a candidate. It was a mistake. We know in full health Eric would never have made that error.
In the rough world of politics and government leadership, some wanted to exploit a mistake by a good man. We hope that controversy may be ended, and that our family may be allowed to grieve in peace.
We, therefore, call on the MSHP to clarify its statements. We are confident the MSHP will confirm what we believe – that the bulk of this “ongoing investigation” relates to allegations of the wrongful use of a county email address in connection with an ongoing political dispute. We hope that clarification will end the rumors and speculation that place undue condemnation on a dedicated public servant.
Finally, as Eric’s family, we hope all of us – leaders, public servants, and fellow citizens – see this story and take this moment to reflect. Leadership is never easy, especially in justice and law enforcement. Criticism has its rightful place. So does commendation and celebration. So does grace. We pray that you remember Eric for who he was and the values he stood for.
He fought a war on a battlefield where every victory hurt. He fought these battles so the rest of us would never have to and so the world could be a better place.
We ask you for your respect, prayers, and space so that we may mourn a devoted husband, admired father, loved brother, and a truly decent man.