Man charged with murder, assault in shooting of wife and her friend in Excelsior Springs
Clay County prosecutors have charged 48-year-old Keith Bass with first-degree murder for allegedly killing his wife and critically wounding another man in an Excelsior Springs shooting early Wednesday.
Bass, of Belton, also faces charges of first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action, court records show. Bass surrendered to authorities in northern Texas on Wednesday as he was being sought in the killing, and Clay County prosecutors have asked that he be held on a $1 million bond.
The shooting unfolded shortly after midnight early Wednesday morning on a residential street in Excelsior Springs. According to court records, local police officers were dispatched around 12:11 a.m. Wednesday to the 700 block of Main Street for a shooting.
Officers found Theresa Bass bleeding on the front porch. At the open front door they found Bobby Neal Jr. with gunshot wounds, including one to his face.
Both gunshot victims were taken to Liberty Hospital, where Theresa Bass was pronounced dead. Neal was conscious long enough to tell investigators that Keith Bass had shot both of them before the wounded man was put into a medically-induced coma.
Among the witnesses interviewed by police were Theresa Bass’ two daughters, ages 17 and 13. They told police they were upstairs when they heard the sound of gunfire and came downstairs to find their mother shot. They also told police they suspected their step-father was responsible, according to court papers.
Records show the Basses were married Aug. 22, 2020 in Clay County. At the time of the shooting, court papers say Bass was living in Belton with his brother-in-law.
Also interviewed by police were employees of Montery Park, a rehabilitation and health care facility in Independence, where authorities say Bass worked. One of his co-workers reported that Bass had “disappeared from work” at one point before calling her around 1 a.m.
During the phone call, the woman told police that Bass admitted to killing his wife and said he “had nothing left to live for,” a detective wrote in charging papers. The co-worker was unable to give authorities any information as to Bass’ whereabouts.
Roughly 12 hours after the shooting, Bass was taken into the custody of the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office in northern Texas. Authorities allege he turned himself in.
Court papers did not list an attorney for Bass as of Friday afternoon.
