(NewsNation) — The man who was accused of killing two southwest Missouri deputies and shooting two others had a lengthy criminal past, including shooting at another deputy years prior.
NewsNation affiliate KOLR reports that in 2014, Richard Dean Bird shot at a law enforcement officer while they investigated a reported theft at a construction site in Johnson County, Kansas. He was sentenced to 59 months in prison on the following charges:
- Fleeing law enforcement officers
- First degree murder amended to aggravated battery involving a law enforcement officer
- Felony drug possession
- Discharging a firearm at a motor vehicle
- Obstructing the legal process
Bird’s criminal history, outlined by local news outlet KHBS, spans over two decades between Missouri and Kansas from 1999 to February of 2026. Those offenses include drug possession, driving without a license, trespassing and theft. He was most recently arrested for burglary this year.
On Feb. 15, Bird was charged with burglary for the theft of a safe and antique coins in Stone County, Missouri. Just two days later on Feb. 17, he was charged with receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance…