CRAWFORDVILLE WEATHER

GUILTY OF MURDER


SENTENCED TO LIFE PLUS 45 YEARS FOR THE MURDER OF BRITTANY STEIER IN JULY 2020




Edward ‘June’ Harris

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN Editor

Edward Harris, known by the nickname “June,” was found guilty of first degree premeditated murder this week for the killing of Brittany Steier in July 2020.

Harris had two children with Steier. He shot her to death while she was picking up the children from his house – one of the children was being placed in a car seat and the other was on her hip as he began shooting her.

It took the 12-person jury less than 15 minutes to return a guilty verdict after a two-day trial.

Wakulla Circuit Judge Layne Smith, who presided over the trial, went right into sentencing – since the mandatory sentence for first degree murder is life in prison – and sentenced Harris to an additional 45 years in prison on other charges including child neglect, felony fleeing and eluding, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Harris showed no reaction when the verdict was read or when he was sentenced.

But emotions were high for family members on both sides – tears were flowing in the courtroom after the verdict as Steier’s family members gave victim impact statements to Judge Smith about their loss and grief.

At the end of the proceedings, after Harris was fingerprinted by deputies and allowed to say goodbye to family members, a disturbance erupted in the courtroom as one of Harris’ family members pointed a finger at another woman, later identified as Tamika Nelson, and yelled: “If it wasn’t for you, Brittany would still be alive!” The two women made moves toward each other as though to fight but were quickly separated by bailiffs. A few minutes later, out in the courthouse parking lot, the women were again separated by law enforcement and told to go home.

Harris has four children by Nelson. At the trial, evidence was presented that Harris texted her minutes before Steier arrived at his house to tell her he loved her and asking her forgiveness.

The trial was the last for Wakulla Chief Prosecutor Brian Miller, who will take over as county judge next week.

Testimony and evidence presented by the state indicated that Harris shot Steier as she put their 2-year-old son in a car seat in her van, with their 1-year-old daughter on her hip. Steier’s friend, Heather Helms, was in the passenger seat of the van – and her 9-year-old daughter was in the third row of seats. She had gone along with Steier to pick up the kids thinking it would help calm any potential trouble.

Instead, Helms testified that she heard a gunshot and Steier call out, “What are you doing?” Steier tried to get away after being shot, and Helms said she saw Harris with a rifle. Helms slid into the driver’s seat of the still-running van and drove off, calling 911 for help, and heading to Steier’s sister’s house.

Deputies arrived at the scene a few minutes later and saw a green Ford Explorer trying to get by them. It was being driven by Harris – and he subsequently led road deputies on a high speed chase through Crawfordville, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph, before he finally pulled over on Spring Creek Highway and surrendered.

Steier’s body was found by the on-scene deputies as she was dying. Evidence showed she was shot three times – twice in the head, including an execution-style shot in the back of her skull that didn’t kill her, and a fatal shot that entered her eye.

The weapon Harris used looked like an Uzi, but was chambered for .22 Long Rifle, a very small bullet. Unspent rounds were found around her body, apparently from the gun jamming. Defense attorney Chuck Collins tried to create doubt in jurors’ minds about issues such as who else may have been at the home. Helms testified that three men were in the yard with Harris when she and Steier arrived, but that Harris sent them away.

The 1-year-old child was found in the house by deputies, covered in blood.

After his arrest, Harris asked for a blanket and went to sleep in the detectives annex.

Harris never spoke and showed no reaction during the trial or sentencing.


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