An 86-year-old man from Missouri has passed away just days after admitting guilt to a reduced charge in the 2023 shooting of Ralph Yarl, a Black honor student who mistakenly rang his doorbell, prosecutors confirmed on Wednesday.

Andrew Lester, a Kansas City resident, originally faced charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action for shooting Yarl, who was 16 at the time. Yarl survived the incident and is now a freshman at Texas A&M. Before his trial was set to begin, Lester pleaded guilty last Friday to second-degree assault, a lesser charge carrying a maximum sentence of seven years. His sentencing was scheduled for March 7.

According to Cher Congour, a spokeswoman for the Clay County prosecutor’s office, Lester’s attorney notified them of his passing.

“We extend our condolences to Andrew Lester’s family during this difficult time,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. “Although legal proceedings have now concluded, we recognize that Mr. Lester took responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty.”

No cause of death was provided in the statement. Kansas City police confirmed they were not conducting an investigation, and Sarah Boyd, a spokeswoman for the Clay County sheriff’s office, mentioned that since Lester was not in custody, they had no information regarding his cause of death. However, she noted that he appeared to be in poor health during last week’s plea hearing.

Yarl’s family, in a written statement on Wednesday, expressed frustration over the delay in justice.

“Another Black child harmed by prejudice will never see the man who shot him fully held accountable,” they wrote. “Lester admitted guilt at the very last moment—after nearly two years of delay. That wait has left our family deeply shaken.”

The case drew nationwide attention and reignited discussions about gun laws and racial bias in the U.S.

The incident occurred on April 13, 2023, when Yarl mistakenly approached Lester’s home while trying to pick up his younger twin brothers.

Lester’s lawyer, Steve Salmon, maintained that his client acted in self-defense, claiming he was frightened when an unfamiliar person knocked on his door late at night. Authorities, however, stated that Lester fired two shots—one striking Yarl in the head and another in the arm.

During a hearing, Yarl recounted that after waiting at the door for what felt like an unusually long time, the inner door opened. Assuming he was at the right house, he reached for the storm door—at which point Lester shot him. Yarl testified that Lester told him, “Don’t come here ever again.” The bullet did not enter Yarl’s brain but knocked him to the ground. As he lay there, Lester fired again, hitting his arm. Yarl was hospitalized for three days before being released.

His family has since spoken about the emotional trauma the shooting caused and filed a lawsuit against Lester, a retired aircraft mechanic.

Salmon had previously said that Lester’s health had been deteriorating, citing heart problems, a broken hip, and significant weight loss due to stress from media attention and threats.

At Friday’s court hearing, Lester appeared frail, hunched over in a wheelchair with his hands folded. When asked if he was in poor health, he responded affirmatively.

A judge had earlier ordered a mental evaluation, which allowed the trial to proceed, though the findings were not made public.

Lester’s grandson, Daniel Ludwig, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.