The father of murdered of 14-year-old 'hero' Bobby Maher has opened up about the horror of learning his son had been stabbed in a mall.

In a gut-wrenching exclusive interview, Robert Maher Sr. told DailyMail.com how he piled his family into his car and dashed to the hospital where medics were desperately trying to save the boy.

'It is a nightmare we can't get out of our heads - it's playing over and over again,' said Maher, 39.

'His mother saw her youngest child die. We will never be okay with this, not ever.'




Robert 'Bobby' Maher's father Robert Maher Sr. told DailyMail.com, 'It is a nightmare we can't get out of our heads - it's playing over and over again'





Bobby, 14, was stabbed to death on April 7 after defending his girlfriend from two teens at a mall in Casper, Wyoming 





An emotional vigil was held for the teen on Thursday at the Eastridge Mall where he was stabbed 

Bobby died on April 7, the day after the family had moved into a new house after a month in temporary accommodation following the loss of their previous home.

The boy never saw their new home as he was staying with a friend's family while his own sorted out their housing issue.

He and a friend had gone to the Eastridge Mall in Casper, Wyoming, after his 14-year-old girlfriend Haley Bressler had called him to say two boys were following her around.

When he got there, he was allegedly jumped by two 15-year-olds, Jarreth (JJ) Plunkett and Dominique Harris who set upon him with a knife they had stolen from Target.

According to a police affidavit, there was a scuffle which ended with Harris allegedly slamming Bobby to the ground.

Plunkett then 'walked up and stabbed' him with the knife, the document added.

Bobby's father told DailyMail.com how the family is now trying to cope in their new mobile home.




According to police interviews, there had been a previous incident at a park in Evansville between Maher and the suspects, who claimed he called them 'freaks' after he saw them go into a portal potty together

'Mornings are the worst,' he said. 'When I wake up every morning it's a nightmare that is a reality.

'It takes me hours in the morning to be even able to talk. His mother and siblings are devastated we can barely function. Never would I wish this on anyone.'

Maher was speaking on the front porch of his new home, dressed in gray sweat paints a black hoodie with a navy-blue shirt with a screen print picture of his son, Bobby on it, emblazoned with the words, 'In Memory of, Lil Bobby 2009-2024.'

He said the last time he spoke with his son was about 20 minutes before he was killed around 1.15pm.

'Bobby was playing darts with his best friend at a local club, and he called me up and said his friend's dad was taking them to the mall and he was going to meet up with his girlfriend Haley.

'The plan was I supposed to pick him up from the mall at 5 pm and take him to our new house.'

Before Bobby got off the phone with his dad telling him he was going to the mall, they both said 'I love you' to each other and hung up.

'Our family always tells each other we love them before we leave the house or get off the phone.'

'The last thing we said to each other was, I love you.'




Maher described his son, the youngest of four, 'the glue that held our family together'





Tributes have poured in for the heroic teen, with hundreds gathering for an emotional vigil





Bobby's heartbroken girlfriend Hailey described him as 'the bravest boy' at a vigil for the slain 14-year-old





'I broke down, I was inconsolable for a while. As Bobby's body was laying on the gurney, I told him how much I loved him, I begged him to please come back,' the father said 

Twenty minutes later Maher said a Casper police sergeant called him and told him his son had been stabbed.

'I was in shock, my only response back was, what the f**k? Are you serious?'

After Maher received the news of his son's stabbing, he piled his wife Mary and Bobby's siblings into their car and sped off to the hospital, 'going 100 mph'.

'We arrived before Bobby did,' he said.

'Me and my family watched doctors and nurses pumping on our son's chest for 20 minutes trying to save him.'

But then they got the news that every parent dreads, the one that would change our lives forever: 'There was nothing more we can do,' Maher recounted with tears in his eyes.

'I broke down, I was inconsolable for a while. As Bobby's body was laying on the gurney, I told him how much I loved him, I begged him to please come back.'

Maher described his son, the youngest of four, 'the glue that held our family together.'

He said it would have been typical for Bobby to rush to his girlfriend's aid. 'My son, being who he is, wanted to be there and walk around with them and make them feel safe.'

According to the police affidavit, Plunkett and Harris 'had to the mall together, they stole Red Bulls, Huusk Messer sour candy, and two kitchen knives from Target.

It said they had 'taken the knife knowing they were going to fight' Maher.

Harris later told police that Plunkett asked Maher's friend if he wanted to fight them to pay his 'blood debt' after the argument at the park.

Plunkett is charged with first degree homicide, conspiracy, aggravated assault and theft. Harris has been charged with conspiracy to commit first degree murder and theft.

Plunkett is being held on a $500,000 cash only bond, and Harris on a $450,000 cash only bond. They are both due in court on Thursday.




The inside area of the Eastridge Mall in Casper is pictured above





Bobby's grandmother Jackie Maher, 63, said, 'If anybody deserves the death penalty it the two boys who murdered an angel'










Bobby's father told DailyMail.com how the family is now trying to cope in their new mobile home (pictured). The family moved into the home the week of the killing 

Bobby's funeral will be held two days later at Wolcott Galleria followed by burial at Highland Park Cemetery in Casper, Wyoming.

Maher Sr. said he had never heard Plunkett or Harris's name before the attack.

'But since, my son's friends have told me these two boys were bullies, known for running around and harassing other kids and pulling weapons on them.'

Maher said he has promised Bobby he will l never let anyone forgot his name. 'He is a great kid, he has a kind heart and a gentle soul.

'His dream was to continue playing basketball, which he loved and then he wanted to be a marine biologist.

'He wasn't perfect, he sometimes acted up in school talking back to teachers, but he was never mean.

'As a parent I never really worried about him getting into trouble. He never started a fight; he wasn't a fighter. He would protect people he cared about, the last thing he would want to do is get into a fight.'

'Bobby loved his family and loved Haley. They have been dating for the better part of a year as far as I know. He even gave her a promise ring and necklace.

Our family really liked Haley, she was extremely shy, sadly we had only met her a few times prior to this tragedy.'

Maher said Bobby spoke with Haley every night. 'At times I had to go into Bobby's room and tell him to get off the phone because it was getting late.'

Bobby was a good student according to Maher. 'When he was in second grade Bobby was in the top 1% in all Texas, where they had been living at the time.

Some 4,000 people turned up to a vigil for Bobby on Friday night.

Haley Bressler bravely stood at the podium and told the grieving crowd, 'He was the sweetest, kindest, and most courageous boyfriend. He was the best boyfriend out there and

'We had so many plans for the future.

'We are going to miss Bobby forever; he will be in my heart until the day I die.'

Maher told DailyMail.com that he feels the boys' parents, Target and the Eastridge Mall all bear some responsibility for his son's death.

'If mall security knew about these kids and didn't enforce their code of conduct and Target didn't catch them stealing a knife and just let them walk right out, they should shoulder some of the responsibility.

'The loss prevention team and mall security obviously didn't do anything.'

But he is infuriated with the parents of the two juveniles charged with his son's murder.




Suspects Jarreth Plunkett and Dominique Harris are being held at the Natrona County Regional Juvenile Detention Center

'I blame their parents for their son's behavior. They created a monster, and a monster took away the brightest light, my son.

'They should be charged right along with their kids that they raised. They knew what type of kids they are.

He said he wished the boys could face the death penalty for their actions. 'The Bible says an eye for an eye,' he said, but recognizes that the US Supreme Court banned the execution of juveniles back in 2005.

That sentiment was echoed by his mother, Bobby's grandmother Jackie Maher, 63.

'If anybody deserves the death penalty it the two boys who murdered an angel,' she said through tears.

'Bobby was a wonderful kid. He had a 3.8GPA in school and will be missed by everybody.

'I consider Bobby a hero for what he did. He didn't deserve to die for defending his girlfriend.'


Wyoming