Man, woman sentenced in botched drug robbery, murder

Two people who killed an Independence man in a botched drug robbery in February 2007 have been sentenced to prison.

On April 28, a judge sentenced Timothy L. Baxter to 17 years in prison after he admitted shooting and killing Tyler Middendorf inside an apartment at the Independence Ridge apartment complex.

Wednesday, co-defendant Emily I. Kirchhoff, 20, of Odessa was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in the crime.

Kirchhoff pleaded guilty in October to robbery and armed criminal action in the death of Middendorf. Prosecutors dropped a second-degree murder charge and a second count of armed criminal action against Kirchhoff in exchange for her guilty plea.

Baxter, 30, pleaded guilty to one count each of second-degree murder and robbery and to two counts of armed criminal action. He was sentenced to 15 years each on the murder and robbery charges and 17 years each for the armed criminal action charges. Baxter will serve the sentences concurrently.

According to court documents, Baxter, the boyfriend of Kirchhoff’s sister, asked Kirchhoff to drive him to rob Middendorf and Middendorf’s roommate. Baxter and Kirchhoff had been to the apartment to buy marijuana weeks prior to the killing. Baxter’s male roommate initially planned to take part in the robbery but backed out.

Kirchhoff drove Baxter to the apartment around 10 p.m., where Middendorf answered the door. Baxter, camouflaged in a black ski mask, stepped inside, shot Middendorf in the chest, walked to the victim’s roommate, put the gun to his head and asked for all his money and drugs. The roommate gave Baxter the money and marijuana and Baxter fled. Middendorf was then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:48 p.m.

According to the court documents, tips to the Independence Police department led them to Baxter and Kirchhoff after Kirchhoff told acquaintances about the crime.