Two Charged In Murder Of UMKC Student

Two Kansas City residents have been charged with the murder of Aaron Markarian, a senior baritone student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance. Prosecutors have charged Alonzo D. Ruff, 20, and Anthony J. Williams, 21, of Kansas City with 10 felonies. The pair are charged with second-degree murder, robbery, three counts of assault and five counts of armed criminal action.

Markarian performing

Williams and Ruff decided to rob the college students’ home located at 4900 Brookside Boulevard after Williams had visited the home earlier in the evening. Williams and Ruff then visited the home, armed with a machete and gun, barging inside when Markarian opened the door. The UMKC student and his friends had gathered for a birthday celebration.

After forcing all of the students in the house to sit on a couch, Williams and Ruff stole $400, cellphones and marijuana. After the robbery, Ruff turned and opened fire at the students on the couch. Markarian was fatally wounded during the shooting, while three other victims survived after being hit.

Alonzo D. Ruff and Anthony J. Williams

One of the survivors recognized Ruff from high school, and believes he opened fire on the group out of fear of being recognized. Williams wore a ski mask during the robbery, however it appears that Ruff did not attempt to conceal his identity. Both were arrested Tuesday evening.

Markarian had been set to graduate from UMKC in May with a bachelor’s degree of music in vocal performance. Tony Williams was a graduate of Archbishop O’Hara High School in 2009 and was unemployed. He had met Ruff when the two worked together at a bagel restaurant, and Williams’ family had recently allowed Ruff to move into the family’s home with them.

KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Autopsy Reveals That Former Chiefs Linebacker Jovan Belcher Was Legally Drunk

The autopsy of former Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher performed by the Jackson County medical examiner has revealed that Belcher was legally drunk when he shot and killed his girlfriend, Kassandra Perkins, before fatally shooting himself in the parking lot outside of the Chiefs practice facility.

Belcher’s blood-alcohol level was .17 just before 8:00 a.m., around the time that he committed suicide in the Chiefs’ parking lot. This level is more than double the legal driving limit in the state of Missouri. Perkins had little to no alcohol in her system when Belcher shot her nine times following a heated argument in the home the couple shared.

What is most disturbing about Belcher’s high blood-alcohol level is that he encountered Kansas City police only a few hours before his murder-suicide. Belcher had been out partying with another woman he had a relationship with, Brittney Glass, before being found in his vehicle outside of Glass’ apartment building by police around 3:00 a.m. Belcher was asleep in his running car when he was awoken by police, who allowed Belcher to go into Glass’ apartment and did not arrest him. The officers claimed they could not smell any alcohol on Belcher.

Belcher would leave Glass’ apartment only a few hours later, returning home legally drunk before the fatal argument started between he and Perkins. Kansas City police were called by Belcher’s mother, Cheryl Shepherd, at 7:52 a.m.

The autopsy on Belcher helps explain what is quite possibly the most disturbing episode ever involving a Kansas City sports team. With a blood-alcohol level of .17 at the time of his death, it is clear that Belcher was heavily intoxicated when he encountered police the night before, although the officers simply allowed him to sleep it off at an apartment belonging to his girlfriend, and couldn’t have known Belcher would wake up a few hours later and drunkenly drive home and confront Perkins.

KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Kansas City Police Vehicles Burglarized

Seven vehicles were burglarized yesterday, including six police vehicles, in the area of east 76th street and Breckenridge Avenue in southeast Kansas City.

Kansas City Police Major Anthony Ell, who lives in the neighborhood in which the vehicles were located, suspects that the thieves were after police radios, bullet-proof vests, uniforms and weapons. The Kansas City police department has not released what was specifically taken from the vehicles. The thieves were able to burglarize the police vehicles by smashing out the windows.

Ell stated that it would be difficult for the thieves to use the stolen radios and computers without the proper police codes. The primary concern for the police department has to be any missing weapons and uniforms, as the thieves can now impersonate an officer.

Four unmarked Kansas City police cars were also burglarized; however the KC Police Department has stated that no weapons were taken from these vehicles. The seventh vehicle that was broken into was a civilian vehicle.

For those that are forced to park their car outside of a garage, this crime spree should serve as a reminder to never leave valuable items in your car overnight. The police department must also bear some responsibility – police cars are stocked with weapons, uniforms and other items that cannot fall into the wrong hands, and officers need to take further measures in regards to securing their vehicles. Police cars will always be a main target of thieves, especially when they parked sitting in a dark neighborhood and unattended.

KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

DUI Checkpoints Kansas City February 24th, 25th, 26th

Be careful out there this weekend! Here at Kansas City News we would like to bring you up to speed on the DUI checkpoints in Kansas City for February 24th, 25th and 26th. Remember, there is a new casino that just opened by the Kansas Speedway called Hollywood Casino and they will be swarming all over that place so be careful driving anywhere out and around The Legends Shopping Center.

Checkpoints will also be lurking in the usual places including:

Anywhere along Southwest Trafficway or Southwest Boulevard - avoid those streets if possible, especially on Southwest Trafficway near the Penn Valley Community College (around 31st Street) and also near the Sunfresh in Westport.

Avoid Ward Parkway all together if possible if you are trying to rocket out of the Plaza area from a night of embibing. Ward Parkway will have DUI checkpoints set up in a number of different areas including the most popular areas which are on the 77th block and the 79th street intersection where Ward Parkway splits into Kansas.

Wornall Road is always a popular spot for DUI checkpoints and they usually set those up around the Waldo area, near 75th Street or 77th Street. Wornall also has surprise checkpoints around 93rd Street on that blind corner where if you are driving south towards the intersection of 95th and Wornall, BANG! - there they are and you won't see a thing. Sometimes the Kansas City Police have a motorcycle posted up on the side street of 93rd looking to see if anyone tries to turn around and avoid the trap.

The best idea, of course is to avoid drunk driving and take a cab or find a sober friend to drive, this way you don't have to worry about DUI checkpoints in Kansas City at all! Be careful out there this weekend (February 24th, 25th and 26th) and drive safe!

You do not have to sign up to comment! If you have any trouble publishing your comment, try hitting the "Preview" button to publish from there. Thanks you from Kansas City News!

Kansas City Police Dog Attacks Bystander

A 56 year old woman was attacked by a Police dog Sunday afternoon. The woman saw Police activity outside her home in the 4300 block of Chelsea Ave in Kansas City and came outside to see what was going on. She was on the phone with her daughter at the time, and the dog must have heard her talking. The next thing you know, the dog pulls the leash out of the officers hand and attacked the woman. She suffered bites to her head and buttocks. The woman already had a fear of dogs and said she wouldn't have come outside had she known the dog was there.

Police in the area were searching for a gun used in a robbery - a magazine had already been found nearby. The handler had the dog on a long leash and had the choke collar inactive as is customary when no suspects are nearby. The Police Officer, not expecting the dog to react in that way, was not gripping the leash tight enough.

It's a shame that something like this happened. Police dogs are very important to the Department, and I would hate to have an incident like this diminish their role in the Department. The woman will likely win a large settlement and Police will review policies and procedures in the handling of their dogs. The KCPD said that handlers have been bitten over the years, but the last time a KC Police dog bit a bystander was in the early 90s when a man leaned over the top of the dog while some children were petting him. Hopefully the next incident will be decades away as well.

KCMO Police Commanders and Chief in Hot Water Over Dinners

An investigation has revealed that some inappropriate charges were made to Kansas City Police Department credit cards for expensive dinners and alcoholic drinks. The charges in question were for dinners at the Capital Grille and included the Police Commanders and a lobbyist. One of the dinners also included Chief Jim Corwin. There were three meals in all at Capital Grille totaling almost $2000.

Chief Corwin says he takes responsibility for the inappropriate charges and that the Capital Grille was a poor choice of restaurant. The money for those meals will be reimbursed (because they were caught, of course). The Department policy against alcohol purchased at these dinners will be reviewed.

Really the problem here is how business in done in our political system. The Police Department was simply trying to schmooze lobbyists like everyone else does if you want to get anything done in Jefferson City. The amount of money spent to grease the wheels of democracy is stunning. This is really not a big deal, they got caught, reimbursed the money, and will be more careful in the future. The real damage is on a Public Relations front - it just looks bad to be spending taxpayer money on expensive meals and booze, but really we are all just jealous.

Man Attacks Woman in Motel, Carves "Hoe" into Chest

Kansas City Police are currently investigating a brutal attack on a 22-year-old woman this weekend that occured in a local motel. The woman, after passing out drunk, awoke to find the word "hoe" carved into her chest with a box cutter.

Accoring to the police report, the woman met a man at a hotel she had talked to on a chat line, but the man left after she refused to have sex with him. The woman then proceeded to finish her bottle of alcohol, then awoke in the night to see a man pacing in her room and calling her a hoe. The woman believes this was a different man than the one she had originally met. When she woke in the morning, she had been physically assaulted and possibly raped, with the word "hoe" cut in her chest.

While I feel terrible for the injuries the woman suffered, people need to learn not to put themselves in situations that can lead to personal trauma. Meeting up with someone you met on a chatline and then drinking an entire bottle of hard alcohol with him will often lead to bad things. Hopefully the horrible aftermath of this crime will serve as a warning to other Kansas City women to use more caution when meeting strangers, especially those met on the internet or through a chat line.

Kansas City Police Announce Sobriety Checkpoints For This Weekend

Checkpoints Kansas City - DUI - Sept 24th 25th

When going out on the town this weekend, make sure you save some cash for a cab or strap on some comfortable walking shoes. Driving may be a bad idea, given that the Kansas City Police Department has announced it will be conducting several sobriety checkpoints all weekend long in the Kansas City metro area.

The police are not releasing the times and locations of the checkpoints, however given that 80% of Kansas City roads are closed as usual due to construction, it may be hard to avoid the checkpoints when entering and leaving the downtown area. The police did mention that the checkpoints will occur at areas known for having DUI related crashes or arrests. Signs will be placed in advance of the checkpoints.

Kansas City Police have been able to make several arrests every time checkpoints are set up, however drunken driving arrests have decreased since the police started announcing the sobriety checkpoints in advance. Hopefully this warning scares more people into finding an alternative way home when they have been drinking.

Drunk Driving Arrests down in Kansas City

Arrests for driving under the influence are down in the latest installment of a checkpoint in the Kansas City area. A checkpoint set up last night at 9700 Metcalf in Overland Park only yielded eight arrests out of over 500 cars that were stopped.

These numbers are a positive sign in contrast to the arrest amounts from previous checkpoints in the Kansas City area. The lower number of drivers being arrested and removed from the road suggests that more people are refraining from driving home after a night out at the bars.

The lower arrest rate may be due to a more suburban location for the checkpoint or simply due to chance; however, the checkpoints, and prior notice of them, may be beginning to work around Kansas City. Further numbers may suggest as to this is a one-time occurrence or if drunk-driving around Kansas City is getting better.

Missouri Police Announce More Sobriety Checkpoints

After stopping over 500 vehicles last Saturday night and making 18 arrests, Kansas City, MO police announced that they will continue to crack down on impaired driving this coming week.

Law enforcement announced that it will be out in full force along 1-70 this weekend, continuing the state’s “Heat is On” campaign to crack down on impaired drivers.

The number of arrests and drivers removed from the road from these future checkpoints should be an indicator to the effectiveness of the state’s campaign to prevent drinking and driving. The 18 arrests being made during the last checkpoint suggest that a high number of residents are willing to drive impaired despite the threat of sobriety checkpoints.

Announcing the sobriety checkpoints in advance could help convince impaired drivers to stay off the road, a proactive approach from the Kansas City, MO Police Department to cut back on drunk driving.

Sobriety Checkpoints Attempt to Keep Drunk Drivers off the Road

Kansas City police continue to crack down on drunk driving through the use of sobriety checkpoints, as 18 impaired drivers were arrested Saturday night at a checkpoint on Wornall Road.

Over 500 vehicles were stopped from between 11 p.m. and 4. a.m., with drivers being arrested for impaired driving, possession of drugs and outstanding warrants.

This is another episode in the Kansas City police’s attempt to cut down on impaired driving, as random checkpoints have been one tool officers have used to cut down on drinking and driving. However, the amount of drivers arrested suggests that despite the known threat of a checkpoint, Kansas City citizens are still willing to drive home after drinking in the downtown area.

While sobriety checkpoints do remove impaired drivers from the road, it is important for police to take more proactive measures to help prevent drunk driving to begin with. If citizens knew of sobriety checkpoints before hand, it could be a measure to help convince them to take a cab or find another ride home. Drivers may still drive and find an alternative route around the checkpoint, but police need to take as many measures as they can to prevent impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel to start. Whether sobriety checkpoints and their consequences will have a long-term effect on the number of Kansas City residents who drive impaired or is simply a method of removing drunk drivers from the road remains to be seen.

Kansas City Police - KCPD's relationship with Kansas City Detectives

Kansas City police and their relationship with Kansas City detectives

Does someone have to be murdered in Kansas City in order for the Kansas City police to turn over any pertinant crime details to the Kansas City detectives? After living here for most of 30 years, my friends and I have been the victims of countless crimes. No big deal for the most part, the occasional robbery, car theft, assault, etc.

Here's the thing:

The police show up, write up a report, and then split.

Is it no longer the job of the Kansas City police department to INVESTIGATE crimes? I mean seriously, I've had fingerprints, shoe prints, tire prints, friggin DNA samples, everything in the book on those who have broken into my house or car and the police just IGNORE this and dismiss the evidence completely.

Ok, so my question is, what level of severity does a crime have to be before the Kansas City police turn over a crime to the Kansas City detectives? Do the KCPD detectives only investigate murders? I understand that the "beat cops" that are on patrol are mostly simpletons and cannot initiate an investigation, but can they at least turn the facts over to the detectives?

A good policeman friend of mine once told me that if I'm ever robbed while at home to "shoot him and drag him in front of your front door". I think that may be my only recourse. Good advice :)