Kansas City News Blog

Cristian Ruiz

​Wyandotte County prosecutors charged Cristian Ruiz late Wednesday with second-degree murder in the death of Jose Luis Salazar-Moreno.

WyCo prosecutors allege that Ruiz, 22, shot and killed Salazar-Moreno, 28, in an alley south of the 900 block of Armstrong Avenue around 4:49 a.m. on November 15.

Salazar-Moreno was taken to a local hospital where he died from his wounds.

Ruiz is in custody. He is being held in the Wyandotte County jail on $200,000 bond.

Maurice West

​Kansas City police issued three photos and a video today in hopes of identifying three "persons of interest" in the death of 20-year-old Maurice West.

West was shot and killed near 116th and Holiday on November 4.

Officers responding to gunshots found West's body in the street around 4  p.m.

​​Witnesses told police that they a man shoot West and then run north on 116th Street.

Police say the individuals on the right were seen in a convenience store near 116th and Holiday about an hour before the homicide.

​If you recognize the people in these photos or the video after the jump, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Dwayne E. Smith

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Isaiah Betts

​Isaiah Betts, a 17-year-old from KCK, has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of a homeless man on April 1, according to KHSB Channel 41.

Betts and 47-year-old Dwayne E. Smith of Kansas City got into an argument on a bus.

Smith tried to walk away, KHSB reports, but Betts knocked him out and he fell into the street at E. 10th and Grand.

A motorist then struck him, and Smith died at a hospital. Betts fled the scene.

Police charged Betts on May 28. He is expected to be sentenced on December 18.

Lisa M. McGuire

​Kansas City police released the victim of Monday's homicide in the 3700 block of Roberts.

Police say 27-year-old Lisa M. McGuire of Versailles was the woman they found dead outside of an apartment complex.

Police had received a tip around 9:49 p.m. Monday thata woman was dead outside of an apartment complex.

If you have a tip about McGuire's death, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Kansas City notched its 101st homicide overnight.


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Around 9:49 p.m., Kansas City police met a man at the Apple Market at 6th and Monroe who claimed to have information about a homicide. The man led police to an apartment building in the 3700 block of Roberts where police found the the lifeless body of a woman outside a building.

If you have a tip about this woman's death, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Kansas City, Kansas, police say they are investigating the death of 28-year-old Jose Salazar-Moreno as a homicide. 

Salazar Moreno was found shot in an alley south of the 900 block of Armstrong Avenue around 4:49 a.m. Sunday.


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Salazar-Moreno was taken to a local hospital where he died from his wounds. KCK police have not released any suspect information.

If you have a tip about Salazar-Moreno's death, call the Major Case Unit at 913-573-6020 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Kansas City police shot a suspect who tried run over officers with a car early Monday morning, Kansas City police say.

Around 1:30 a.m., Kansas City officers stopped a car at Anderson and Wheeling, but the driver took off on foot.


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Police say the man circled back to the car and tried to run over one of the officers. The officers fired shots at the suspect, who drove to Independence and Wilson.

Police say the suspect again tried to run over officers at the intersection. Officers fired more shots at the suspect, who drove east on Independence Avenue, but the car broke down at Independence and Manchester.

Police finally arrested the suspect, who was transported to a local hospital with gunshot wounds.

The man is expected to survive.

No officers were injured in the incident.

Eldier Molina

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Juan Lopez

​Update: Jose Diaz-Turcios, the second shooting victim, has died from his injuries.

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Wyandotte County prosecutors charged Eldier Molina and Juan Lopez Sunday with first-degree murder in the death of Gerson Diaz-Turcios.

Molina, a 20-year-old who also goes by "Puppet," and Lopez, 18, were also charged with attempted first-degree murder in connection with the shooting of Jose Diaz-Turcios.

Prosecutors also charged Molina with criminal possession of a firearm and Lopez with felony eluding a police officer.

Gerson Diaz-Turcios, 19, was found fatally shot at 18th and Park around 8:20 p.m. on Friday, November 13.

Amber Kahn was shot and killed near 11th and Van Brunt around 8 p.m. Saturday.


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Kansas City police say the 27-year-old was taken to a local hospital where she died from her injuries.

If you have a tip about Kahn's death, call 816-474-8477.

Update: Kansas City police are counting the death of 49-year-old Halimo Ahmed of Kansas City, Missouri, as a homicide.

Levert X. Braswell

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Dennis J. Moore Sr.

​Two men were charged last week with killing Dennis J. Moore Sr.

Wyandotte County prosecutors charged Levert Xavier Braswell and Artis M. Johnson with first-degree murder in the death of Moore.

Artis M. Johnson

​Braswell, 20, and Johnson, 18, were also charged with attempted aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and aggravated battery.

Braswell and Johnson are being held in the Wyandotte County jail on $1 million bond each.

Moore, 43, was found dead on October 19 inside a residence in the 1500 block of Georgia Avenue around 12:55 a.m.

KCK police announced in late October that they were looking for Braswell.

Richard Sanders

Kevin Todd

Kansas City police chased down homicide suspect Darrell Rodgers yesterday afternoon.

Police say Rodgers, 20, was wanted for a double homicide near 1022 Garfield on July 17.

The victims were 19-year-old Richard Sanders and 20-year-old Kevin E. Todd of Kansas City, Missouri.

On July 17, Kansas City police received a complaint just after midnight of loud music coming from a car in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 10th and Garfield.

Police found the bodies of Todd and Sanders in a Ford Crown Victoria.

Update: Kansas City police say the victim is 49-year-old Halimo Ahmed of Kansas City, Missouri.

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Kansas City police are investigating the death of a woman in the 1200 block of Askew.


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Police were called to the residence around 7:11 a.m. Thursday morning after receiving a call of a possible dead body.

Officers met two children -- ages 12 and 9 -- who found their mother unresponsive inside the home. The 49-year-old woman was dead. 

Police say the woman's death is suspicious, citing signs of foul play.

If you have a tip, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

​Jonathan Conklin was the victim of this morning's homicide.

Kansas City police found Conklin, who they say is 23-years-old and from KCMO, shot to death in a backyard in the 3100 block of East 12th Street after 2 a.m.

Conklin was pronounced dead at the scene.

Update (3:43 p.m. Wednesday, November 11): Kansas City police say they caught the homicide suspect from earlier this afternoon. They arrested 20-year-old Darrell Rodgers on a Jackson County warrant for first-degree murder near 40th and Benton.

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A car chase between the Kansas City police and a homicide suspect this afternoon ended with a crash near 42nd and Wayne.


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Kansas City police say the suspect refused to stop, crashed and fled on foot.

Police arrested two people but didn't get the homicide suspect. Police say they're still searching the area.

Early this morning, police found a man shot to death in the 3100 block of East 12th Street. 


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Kansas City police received a call of a shooting in the 3000 block of Peery around 1:56 a.m. Officers talked to a man who told them his friend had been shot. The man was taken to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.

After the man was taken to the hospital, police officers canvassed the area, looking for another victim. That's when they received a call that a shooting victim was lying in a backyard in the 3100 block of East 12th.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police described the victim as a Hispanic male in his late teens to early 20s.

If you have a tip about this homicide, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Yolanda Walker

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Blanche L. Johnson

​Blanche L. Johnson confessed to killing Yolanda Walker because Walker broke up with her.

Court documents say Johnson, 38, told detectives that she pulled a handgun out of her purse and shot Walker, 38, twice in chest after Walker ended their relationship.

In a twist of karmic justice, Johnson accidentally shot herself in the ankle as she was getting out of Walker's minivan.

Johnson left a trail of blood leading north on South Benton and east on Meyer Road.

Walker was found shot to death inside a Dodge minivan in the 6600 block of South Benton around 10 p.m. Sunday.

Police checked Walker's cell phone and found a call to 911 earlier in the evening. Records showed that Walker called police to have Johnson removed from their home. But police didn't kick Johnson out because she convinced the officers that she lived at the home.

Witnesses told police that Walker agreed to give Johnson a ride to another location. They also told police that Johnson carried a handgun in her purse and had made previous threats to kill Walker.

On November 9, police arrested Johnson, and she confessed.

Prosecutors charged Johnson today with second-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Carol Thomas

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Erik R. Zimmerman

​The three people accused of kidnapping and killing Carol Thomas are scheduled to appear in Ray County court today.

The arraignment of Erik. R. Zimmerman, Jennifer Saling and James Reardon is scheduled for 8:30 a.m.

Zimmerman and Saling are charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Reardon is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Jennifer L. Saling

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James P. Reardon

​Yesterday, Zimmerman, Reardon and Saling were in Clay County court entering not-guilty pleas to kidnapping charges.

Last week, Zimmerman confessed to police, admitting that he was with Reardon and Saling when Thomas was beaten, tossed in the trunk of a Pontiac Grand Prix and kidnapped in Excelsior Springs on November 4.

Zimmerman told police that Thomas was killed because she tried to pass off rock salt as $500 worth of drugs.

Here's Zimmerman's version of Thomas' killing.

Yolanda Walker

​Yolanda M. Walker was identified as the victim of Sunday night's homicide.

Walker, 38, was found shot to death inside a Dodge minivan in the 6600 block of South Benton around 10 p.m.

Kansas City police say they are still looking for suspects.

Friends have started to leave tributes on Walker's Facebook page on which Walker lists two children and her hometown as Wichita, Kansas.

Walker writes that she attended West High School, class of 1989. There's even a clipping and photo from the Wichita Eagle of Walker playing basketball for West in Class 6A girls' sub-state.

There are also photos of her preteen son in his football uniform and her daughter wearing a top hat and gown at graduation and a tribute to a young man who died young.

Last Friday, Walker wrote a blog on MySpace titled "I still LOVE YOU!"

I still love you baby, 6yrs was a long time, but we came to a point where we did not want to fight no more for it. I see you have moved on and I wish YOU all the happiness......I will try not to ever forget what we shared, our kids, losing our son, and mother, and most of all losing one another.... this is from the heart, I still LOVE YOU....

If you have a tip about Walker's death, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Kansas City police say they're investigating the shooting death of the woman at Meyer and South Benton Sunday as a homicide.

Police were called to the 6600 block of South Benton around 10 p.m. on a vehicle parked in the middle of the road.


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Officers found a Dodge minivan in the street with a woman in the driver's seat.

The woman, described as a black female and approximately 40-years-old, was dead from a gunshot wound.

At the scene, police took a person of interest into custody.

If you have a tip about the woman's death, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Kansas City police found a woman shot to death in a van near Meyer and South Benton on Sunday night, KMBC Channel 9 reports.


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No official word yet from the KCPD, but KMBC reports that "shots fired" calls started coming in to 911 after 10 p.m. That's when police found the woman, said to be in her 30s, dead in the van.

If you know anything, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Erik R. Zimmerman

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James P. Reardon

​Three people have been charged with kidnapping Carol Thomas.

Excelsior Springs police say 23-year-old James P. Reardon, 21-year-old Jennifer L. Saling and 29-year-old Erik R. Zimmerman have been charged with felony kidnapping in Clay County.

Bond is set at $1 million each.

Witnesses told police that Thomas, 23, was beaten, thrown in a trunk and kidnapped by three men on Wednesday night.

Jennifer L. Saling

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Carol Thomas

​A red Grand AM that authorities believe was used in the kidnapping was found torched near Lawson -- about 20, 25 minutes away from Excelsior Springs.

Thomas' body was found yesterday in rural Ray County.

These appear to be Zimmerman's Facebook and MySpace pages. His last login was October 11. His mood is set to "frusterated" and his page is headlined with this: "Things have got 2 change before i snap-out and get real stupid." His profile says he's a "proud parent," and there are several photos of a toddler.

This appears to be Saling's MySpace page.

If you have a tip, call police at 816-630-2000 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

A 20-year-old man is in critical condition after he was shot by a Kansas City police officer, KSHB Channel 41 reports.

Police told KSHB that a man wanted for a couple felony warrants agreed to surrender at a house near 7th and Spruce around 6:45 p.m. But the suspect pointed a shotgun at an officer when he exited the home. That's when the officer shot the man in the chest.


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The suspect's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, and the KCPD has placed the officer on paid administrative leave.

Officers were reportedly investigating a gunfight between two cars, which led them to the east-side home.

Maurice West

​Maurice West was the man shot and killed near 116th and Holiday Wednesday afternoon. Kansas City police identified West, 20, as the the victim of the homicide.

Officers responding to gunshots found West's body in the street around 4  p.m.

Witnesses told police that they a man shoot West and then run north on 116th Street.

Police say there are no suspects in custody, and if anyone has information about West's death, they should call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

A man believed to be in his twenties was shot to death near 116th and Holiday yesterday afternoon.


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Kansas City police officers responding to gunshots found the body of a man in the street around 4  p.m.

Witnesses told police that they saw a black man shoot the victim. The alleged shooter was with another man, and the two ran north on 116th Street. Last we heard, the suspects were believed to be in a house on Longview Road.

If you have a tip, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Tyler R. Creal

​Kansas City police say 19-year-old Tyler R. Creal was the victim of last Friday's homicide in the parking lot of Cash America Pawn at 31st and Prospect.

Creal was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

A witness told police that Creal was chasing after and shooting at two other men in the parking lot. The two men were allegedly exchanging gunfire with Creal.

Creal's death is still under investigation, so if you have a tip, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Three men were shot and three people were arrested after a standoff in the 2300 block of Birch Drive late Sunday.


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Kansas City, Kansas, police believe the shooting victims' injuries are not life-threatening.

KCK police responded to an "armed disturbance" call around 11:30 p.m. and discovered the shooting victims. At the scene, officers saw a man run into an apartment. The officers tried to talk with the man, but he refused to come out of the apartment. That's when police set up a perimeter around the apartent and called in the Tactical Unit and negotiators. 

Negotiations failed and the Tactical Unit went in and took two men and a woman into custody.

If you have any info about the incident, call the Major Case Unit at 913-573-6020 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

LeDion D. Brown,  19, was the man found shot to death in the 1300 block of North 4th Street in KCK just after midnight, KCK police say.


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KCK police found Brown shot to death inside a vehicle around 12:14 a.m.

If you have any info about this man's death, call the Major Case Unit at 913-573-6020 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Kansas City police are investigating a homicide at 31st and Prospect.


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Police say officers were called on a shooting and found a man shot in the parking lot near Cash America Pawn. The man was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Police say another shooting victim was found at another hospital. Detectives are trying to determine if the shootings are related.

A witness told police that the victim was chasing after and shooting at two other men in the parking lot. The two men were exchanging gunfire with the victim.

A little bit after midnight Friday, Kansas City, Kansas, police found a man shot to death inside a vehicle in the 1300 block of North 4th Street.


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Officers were responding to a reported shooting at 12:14 a.m.

The man's identity hasn't been released yet.

If you have any info about this man's death, call the Major Case Unit at 913-573-6020 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Update (3 p.m. October 30): KCK police spokesman Troy Rice says today's homicide brings KCK homicide total to 33.

Over the weekend came news about of security guards at Gerry's Sliver Slipper getting in a gunfight with a drive-by shooter.

No one was injured -- this time.


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This latest shootout brings back memories of a shooting last year at the strip club located at
4704 Independence Ave.

The Kansas City Star reported last night that Kenneth L. Frazier pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm charges; Frazier, who was working as a DJ at the Silver Slipper, allegedly shot a man outside the club.

The Silver Slipper's issues have carried over to this year.