Longtime Missouri Prosecutor Dies at Courthouse After Announcing Retirement

Eric Zahnd, the longtime prosecuting attorney for Platte County, Missouri, was found dead inside the county courthouse Thursday as authorities launched a death investigation.

According to the New York Post, Zahnd, 53, had served as the county’s prosecuting attorney since 2002 and was the longest-serving prosecutor in Platte County history.

The courthouse was closed around 2:15 p.m. Thursday while sheriff’s deputies investigated his death. Authorities said there was no threat to the public.

Officials had not publicly released a cause of death as of Friday. Local reports citing sources said Zahnd died by suicide inside the courthouse, but that detail had not been officially confirmed by the sheriff’s office.

The courthouse remained closed Friday as the investigation continued. Zahnd’s death came months after he announced that he would leave office at the end of 2026 after more than two decades as Platte County’s top prosecutor.

In announcing his retirement in April, Zahnd reflected on the demands of the position, saying that serving the county had brought him both “great joy” and “considerable pain.” He withdrew from the election shortly before the filing deadline and said it was time to pass the position to First Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Mark Gibson.

During his tenure, Zahnd was involved in efforts that led to Missouri’s passage of Jessica’s Law, which increased penalties for people convicted of raping children. He also handled numerous high-profile criminal cases during his time in office.

Zahnd was named Missouri’s Prosecutor of the Year in 2014. He also received the Distinguished Prosecutor Award from the National District Attorneys Association in 2025.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said she was deeply saddened by Zahnd’s death and praised his decades of public service, character and commitment to Platte County.

Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson also offered condolences, describing Zahnd as a colleague who spent more than two decades seeking justice for Platte County residents.

Following his death, Platte County’s presiding judge appointed Gibson to serve as interim prosecuting attorney. Under Missouri law, Gov. Mike Kehoe will appoint a permanent replacement.

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