Subject: Murder and Homicide

• MySpace Remembers ACE, This Year's 39th Homicide Victim

  June 7, 2007

• Food, Music, Speeches and the Family of Murder Victims

  November 14, 2007

• Two Charged in Murder of Rapper Anthony Vital

  March 11, 2008

• Man Convicted of Raya, Rios Murders Sentenced to Life

  September 9, 2008

• Kansas City Strip

  May 10, 2001

• Killa City: Official body count at three

  Add two more to the death toll. Like Crime Scene KC, we thought Rodney Kemp was Kansas City's first homicide of 2009. Turns out there were two before him.

  January 7, 2009

• Mac Dre and Fat Tone Slayings Explored on BET's American Gangster

  Remember when KC rapper Fat Tone was killed in Las Vegas supposedly in retaliation for the murder of Bay Area rapper Mac Dre? (If not, former-Pitch-staffer-turned-mayoral-chief-of-staff Kendrick Blackwood's got a helluva story for you.)As promised, BET's controversial series American Gangster devoted an episode to the murders. The above clip features locals like DJ Kool Wayne, DJ Fresh, my girl Priceless Diamonds and KCPD homicide detective Everett Babcock. Somewhere up above, Fat Tone and Mac

  January 27, 2009

• Killa City: Man found shot to death near Gregory and Askew

  Kansas City Police found the body of a black man shot to death in a car near Gregory Boulevard and Askew Avenue last night at around 7:30. View Larger Map Police say witnesses saw two black men in all black clothing and hooded sweatshirts in the area at the time of the shooting. No suspects are in custody.Crime Scene KC fills in a few blanks. The man was in his 50s and found in the driveway of a home on Gregory. Also, when police arrived, two men ran from the scene.

  February 13, 2009

• Not-So-Sweet Revenge

  September 29, 2005

• Killa City: Man found fatally shot in apartment

  Kansas City Police found a man shot to death in a third floor apartment at 811 East Armour Boulevard at about 12:30 a.m. View Larger Map Police say the victim had at least one gunshot wound. A neighbor told police that he had heard several gunshots and saw someone run from the apartment building. Police say there are no suspects in custody.  Fritz LeandreKSHB Channel 41 also reports that police are investigating whether a man shot to death by two KC police officers was involved in the ho

  March 26, 2009

• Killa City: KCMO homicide No. 32

  Kansas City Police found the body of a black man shot to death at 9th and Harrison at about 5 a.m. View Larger Map The police say a person of interest was taken into custody at the scene. No names have been released, and the police are asking anyone with tips to call 816-474-8477.

  April 8, 2009

• Doctor X

  May 1, 2008

• Blood for Blow

  January 10, 2008

• Killa City: Raytown police seeking tips in quadruple homicide

  Congressman Emanuel Cleaver and Alvin Brooks pleaded with the public today for tips that will help solve the Raytown quadruple homicide. The bodies of 21-year-old Precious Triplett, 33-year-old Andre D. Jones, 10-year-old Amir Clemons and 7-year-old Gerard Clemons were discovered in an apartment near 61st Street and Raytown Road in March. "Here we are with two children almost babies 7 and 10 in addition to two adults who were brutally murdered," Brooks said. "I know that none of us could imagine

  April 15, 2009

• The Cop Who Killed a Murder Case

  Officer Holmes says a supervisor made him lie. But KCPD brass say he bungled a murder investigation.

  March 22, 2007

• T-Shirt Tombstones

  November 9, 2006

• More Deadly Silence

  October 12, 2006

• When Moody Ruled

  August 4, 2005

• A Bad Trip

  Rebecca Beach didn’t kill the drug dealer from Topeka. But she’s in prison for life because Kansas’ felony murder law says she did.

  June 10, 2004

• Love Never Dies

  Ed Hobson disappoints other Parents of Murdered Children.

  November 20, 2003

• Horror Story

  October 30, 2003

• Cemetery Plot

  Four years ago, Anastasia WitbolsFeugen's murder took on a life of its own.

  May 16, 2002

• The Heinous and the Cruel

  Kansas courts try to decide exactly when killings are 'atrocious.'

  February 21, 2002

• Jacking Around

  Lawsuits and investigations reveal a troubled Lone Jack police department.

  February 7, 2002

• Hearse Nurse

  Nurse Richard Williams has never been charged, but he's suspected in 42 murders.

  November 1, 2001

• Murder Uncovered

  Twelve bullets and 1,100 mourners get little notice.

  June 7, 2001

• Girls in the 'Hood

  Pamela Butler's killing shocked Kansas City. But murder was nothing unusual on the street where her mother lived.

  November 30, 2000

• The Men to Call

  Charged with a serious crime? Low on funds? Kent Gipson and Sean O'Brien are the guys to call.

  April 27, 2000

• THE MURDERERS

  IRV GOTTI PRESENTS ... THE MURDERERS (MURDER INC.)

  March 30, 2000

• Feast of the Assumption not as appetizing as it sounds

  A copy of Marc Levitz's Kansas City Film Festival selection, Feast of the Assumption: The Otero Family Murders, sat unwatched on my coffee table for weeks. Nothing appealed to me less than watching a documentary about Dennis Rader, the Wichita serial killer known as BTK. When I finally forced myself to feed the DVD into my machine, it was with all the joy of a dieter loading low-calorie lasagna into the microwave.My efforts were rewarded with an opening description of the scene at the home of th

  April 22, 2009

• Killa City: More on KCMO homicide No. 41, Pierre 'Keyz' Parker

  Kansas City police released the name of Sunday morning's homicide victim Monday. They say 21-year-old Pierre E. Parker was the man shot to death in a parking lot near Grand Slam Liquors, 631 Grand Boulevard. Parker was also known as Keyz, a local rapper, and his MySpace music page shows a handful of albums, including this one:The album, "Come Up 2," debuted on April 28. Keyz' record label, Brick Money Click Entertainment, offers free downloads of his mixtapes.Keyz lists among his influences Rich

  May 5, 2009

• Killa City: Man shot to death in KCK

  A man was fatally shot in the 1500 block of N. 23rd Street early Monday morning. View Larger Map Kansas City, Kansas, police found a black man shot to death. Police believe the man is in his 40s. The man's name won't be released until family members have been contacted. If you have a tip, call 913-573-6020 or 816-474-8477.Update: This is KCK's 13th homicide.

  June 8, 2009

• Killa City: Betty Grammer fatally shot while painting a house in Fairway

  Franklin L. Grammer Jr.Betty Grammer was shot in the head while painting a Fariway house Monday morning. She died from her injuries around 11:30 p.m. Grammer's death is being actively investigated as a homicide, Fairway police Lt. Mike Fleming told The Pitch. Grammer's death is Fairway's first homicide in five years, Fleming said. Now, Fairway police and the Johnson County Sheriff's Department are looking for Grammer's 53-year-old estranged husband, Franklin L. Grammer Jr. They say Franklin Gr

  June 9, 2009

• Killa City: Person of interest in Fairway killing found at a California hotel

  Franklin L. Grammer Jr.The law finally caught up with a man suspected of shooting and killing his wife Monday in Fairway, Kansas. The Los Angeles Times reports that authorities spotted Franklin L. Grammer Jr's pick-up truck in the parking lot of an Econo Lodge in Gorman, California, Thursday morning.  It was the beginning of what turned into an eight-hour standoff between Grammer and a Los Angeles County sheriff's special weapons team. The standoff finally ended around 12:30 p.m. when Gramm

  June 12, 2009

• Killa City: Rap on YouTube mentions homicide victim Raheem Marchbanks

  A 16-year-old boy was gunned down in the 2600 block of Jackson Monday. Now the family of homicide victim Raheem Marchbanks say a rap song posted on YouTube (it's since been pulled down) mentions Marchbanks by name and gives the location of the homicide as well as a promise of more violence to come, KSHB Channel 41 reports. Photos of young men throwing up gang signs and showing off weapons like these are depicted on Garfield Tha Gunna512's MySpace pageThe song is by Garfield Tha Gunna512. In phot

  June 12, 2009

• Killa City: Adrian W. Burks charged with first-degree murder in KCK quadruple homicide

  Adrian W. BurksWyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman charged Adrian W. Burks with four counts of first-degree murder in Monday's quadruple homicide in KCK. Gorman told reporters Thursday that domestic violence was "driving force" behind the homicides. But Gorman cautioned that his office and detectives are still trying to piece together what happened Monday at the home at 5234 Munice Drive. The bodies of 21-year-old Amanda J. Remmers, 66-year-old James A. Warren, 41-year-old Peggy Cas

  June 25, 2009

• Killa City: Adrian Burks now being investigated in California homicide

  Charged last week with four counts of first-degree murder for his alleged role in a quadruple homicide in KCK, Adrian Burks is now also being investigated in connection to a 2005 Adrian Burkshomicide in California. Burks, 37, was arrested by San Diego County sheriff's deputies in 2005 after the murder of Chaleta Robertson, 29. Robertson's relatives told police she had ended a relationship with Burks before she was killed. There is reportedly not enough evidence to charge Burks with the cri

  July 1, 2009

• Killa City: KCMO homicide No. 56, man shot to death near Linwood and College

  A man in his late teens was shot to death near Linwood and College Sunday around 9:20 p.m., say Kansas City police. View Larger MapPolice have yet to release the victim's name, and they say there is no suspect information at this time. If you have any info about the shooting, call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. The Kansas City Star reported Sunday that homicides are on the rise in KC -- in the first six months of 2009, KC recorded 55 homicides compared to 49 in 2008. Not the most comfortin

  July 6, 2009

• Killa City: KCK homicide No. 24, Carol S. Thomas identified as the woman found dead in an apartment Tuesday

  The death of a woman found dead in an apartment at 1215 Central Avenue has been ruled a homicide, Kansas City, Kansas police announced today. KCK police also identified the woman as 48-year-old Carol S. Thomas of KCK. View Larger Map The cause of death has not been released, yet.   If you have info about Thomas' death, call 913-573-6020 or 816-474-8477.

  July 30, 2009

• Killa City: KCMO homicide No. 75, teen shot to death in the 3700 block of Olive

  A black man in his late teens was found shot to death in the 3700 block of Olive Monday evening. The teen's body was found in the street around 11 p.m. View Larger Map Police are still looking for suspects, so if you have a tip, call 816-474-8477.

  August 11, 2009

• Killa City: Kansas City's homicide count at 75

  ​Keeping an accurate count of the homicides isn't easy. The number always seems to fluctuate, like what we found out today thanks to The Kansas City Star. The homicide count stands at 75. It was at 76 but Kansas City police and the Jackson County Medical Examiner removed two homicides -- the medical examiner ruled one accidental and the other natural causes -- and added a new homicide to the list. The Star says the deaths of Freddy H. Medina and Eric L. Davis were removed from the list while

  August 14, 2009

• Killa City: KCMO homicide No. 76 and 77 and a homicide in Independence

  ​More bloodshed in Kansas City this weekend with two homicides in Kansas City, Missouri. The first homicide victim was an employee at a Cricket Wireless store in the 5100 block of Bristol. The employee -- a white man in his thirties --  was found dead in the backroom of the store on Saturday around 1:43 p.m. A witness told police that a small red truck fled the scene at a high rate of speed.The second victim -- a black man in his thirties -- was shot to death in a home in the 10700 block

  August 17, 2009

• Communication breakdown: Accused killer set free due to jail screw up

  Demetrius R. Harbour​Jackson County prosecutors and jail staff need to work on their communication skills. They just don't talk like they used to, and when they don't, an accused killer walks. KCTV 5 reports that Demetrius Harbour, a man accused of killing his girlfriend, was released from the Jackson County jail Monday evening due to miscommunication between prosecutors and jail staff. Harbour was set free after the jail received paperwork saying the prosecutor's office had dismissed the

  August 19, 2009

• Killa City: Adrian W. Burks could face the death penalty

  Adrian Wayne Burks​Adrian W. Burks, the man accused of killing four people in KCK, is now charged with capital murder. Wyandotte County prosecutors upgraded the charges on Wednesday. Burks is accused of killing 21-year-old Amanda J. Remmers. 66-year-old James A. Warren, 41-year-old Peggy Castleberry and 3-year-old Juanita D. Castleberry-Bess at a home at 5234 Munice Drive on June 22.Burks is in the Wyandotte County jail on $2 million bond.

  August 20, 2009

• Killa City: KCMO homicide No. 77, Khamis A. Saed shot and killed at Cricket store

  ​Yesterday, the Kansas City police sent me the names of the city's 84 homicide victims (Taylor Holman's name hadn't been added to the list yet). Going through the list, a couple of names popped out at me -- Khamis A. Saed and Freddie Medina. Saed, 23, was fatally shot while working at the Cricket Wireless phone store at 5116 Bristol on August 15. His body was found in the stores backroom. I can't recall Saed ever being identified as the victim in the shooting.Medina, 16, died on January 5 afte

  September 16, 2009

• Killa City: Ronald Taylor charged with the murder of William E. Harmon

  Ronald Taylor​William E. Harmon​Ronald Taylor has been charged with the murder of William E. Harmon, Kansas City Police Chief Jim Corwin reported on his blog today. Taylor, 30, was captured in last week's violent crime crackdown. Harmon, 27, was found shot to death in an apartment at 1210 1/2 Independence Ave. on April 5. Corwin writes that witnesses were "drinking and doing drugs when they heard shots in another room, and all of them fled the apartment, including the suspect, Ronald Taylor.

  October 5, 2009

• Killa City: Keighley Ann Alyea's body found; three men arrested

  Keighley Ann Alyea​Keighley Ann Alyea's body was found Monday night, and three men are now accused of killing Alyea, according to a press release issued Monday evening. The men's names have not been released yet. Here's the full statement from the Overland Park PD: OVERLAND PARK POLICE HAVE THREE MEN (ADULTS) IN CUSTODY FOR THE MURDER OF KEIGHLEY ANN ALYEA. Overland Park Police Investigators arrested three men in relation to the murder of Ms. Keighley Ann Alyea. Ms. Alyea's body has been

  October 5, 2009

• Killa City: Man questioned in Keighley Ann Alyea's disappearance, Dustin Hilt, accused of murder

  Dustin Hilt​One of the men questioned in the disappearance of Keighley Ann Alyea has been booked into the Johnson County jail on charges of first-degree murder. Dustin Brian Hilt, 18, is listed as being booked into the Johnson County jail early Tuesday morning on first-degree murder charges. He was questioned Hilt in Alyea's disappearance over the weekend.Two other men -- Joseph Dathian Mattox, 21, and Gerald Scott Calbeck, 18 -- were booked into the Johnson County jail early Tuesday morning o

  October 6, 2009

• Killa City: Keighley Ann Alyea's body found in Missouri field

  Overland Park police just released more information in the death of Keighley Ann Alyea. Police say the 18-year-old Overland Park woman's body was found around 9:30 p.m. Monday in a farm field near the intersection of East 235th Street and South State Route K Highway in Cass County, Missouri. Dustin HiltWe found out today that three men have been charged with first-degree murder in Johnson County. One of the men, 18-year-old Dustin Hilt, is reportedly a former boyfriend of Alye

  October 6, 2009

• Killa City: Trial delayed for men accused of killing Lawrence rapper

  ​The trial of two men accused of killing 28-year-old Lawrence rapper Anthony Vital has been pushed until May 2010, the Lawrence Journal-World reported today.Durrell A. Jones,  24, and Major C. Edwards Jr., 30, are charged with first-degree murder in the death of Vital -- a case we profiled in June 2007 ("It's Hard Out Here for a Player"). Vital's bullet riddled body was found in a field west of Lawrence in October 2006.The Journal-World reports that prosecutors sought the delay in order t

  October 7, 2009