Crime & Safety
Man Accused Of Killing Special Olympics Athlete Pleads Not Guilty
John Harkness is accused of shooting and killing Scottsdale Man Scott Harkness as Harkness walked home from a bar on Feb. 6.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ — The man accused of shooting and killing a beloved Special Olympics athlete in Scottsdale on Feb. 6 pleaded not guilty to all charges against him in Maricopa County Superior Court last week, according to court documents.
Scott Harkness, 59, was shot to death as he walked home from Zipps, one of his favorite hangout spots, according to police.
John Merryman, 38, was arraigned Feb. 24 on charges of first degree murder, drive-by shooting and possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, according to court documents.
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Merryman is still being held in jail on a $1 million cash bail, court documents indicate.
Police said that they used forensic evidence to tie the gun found near where Harkness was shot around 7900 East Camelback Road to both Harkness's fatal gunshot wound and to Merryman.
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