Elder Robert Harris, 30 (L), his late wife, Tanisha, 38 (R).(Photo: Facebook) / Inset: Kansas City Pastor Carlton Funderburke.(TikTok / @kcdefender)
A Missouri man, Robert Harris, has been convicted of first-degree murder of his wife of fewer than two years.
Harris is a former church elder at the non-denominational Repairers Kansas City. Carlton Funderburke is a former pastor of the Repairers Kansas City. Funderburke recently got in hot water at his current church, Church at the Well Kansas City, where he chastised his congregation for not buying him a Movado watch.
Harris was convicted on Aug. 19 of killing his then 38-year-old wife, Tanisha, on Jan. 8, 2018. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 3, KSHB reported. Tanisha is also an associate minister at the church.
According to Overland Park police, at about 4 p.m. on the day of the murder, they responded a domestic disturbance call.They encountered Harris alone in the apartment. But several hours later, he called the police to report that his wife was missing. Officers became suspicious and he admitted he had something to do with her disappearance. Tanisha Harris’ body was later found in a nearby field, Christian Post reported.
During the trial, a young man named Steven Junior testified that he was involved in a romantic relationship with Robert Harris, an Army veteran.
Funderburke, who now heads the Church at the Well Kansas City with his wife, was recently forced to apologize after he was shown in a now-viral video clip throwing a tantrum from the pulpit during which he called his congregation “broke, busted and disgusted” and “cheap sons and daughters” for not “honoring” him with a watch from the luxury brand Movado, which range in price from ranges in price from $300 to more than $3,000..
“That’s how I know you’re still poor, broke, busted and disgusted because of how you’ve been honoring me. I’m not worth your McDonald’s money? I’m not worth your Red Lobster money? I ain’t worth your St. John Knits? Y’all can’t afford it now,” Funderburke, who is married with three children, lamented over his congregation’s refusal to buy him a watch from the luxury brand that ranges in price from $300 to $3,000.
Funderburke later apologized for the video.
When asked about Robert Harris’ arrest shortly after Tanisha Harris’ murder, Funderburke, who presided over their wedding, said, “They were a loving couple. They were a wonderful newlywed couple.”
He continued, “They were very involved, very engaged, active in the community of the church. These were not regular attenders or regular parishioners. They’re part of the background of what we do as a ministry…It’s very shocking.”
Elder Robert Harris, 30 (L), of Repairers Kansas City church in Missouri, is accused of murdering his late wife, Tanisha, 38 (R). She was an associate minister. (Photo: Facebook) / Inset: Kansas City Pastor Carlton Funderburke called out his congregation for not buying him a Movado watch.(TikTok / @kcdefender)
