Overview
- Jeffery King, 42, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the shooting death of his neighbor, 41-year-old Chris Wells, in the 2500 block of NE 78th Street.
- King entered a not guilty plea at his first court appearance and remains held at the Clay County Detention Center on a $5 million bond, with a return to court set for next month.
- A probable cause affidavit cites video showing Wells backing away with his hands raised and juvenile witnesses saying King shot him while he was face down; detectives recovered eight spent 9mm casings and court documents state Wells was shot 13 times, including eight in the back.
- Public records describe a long-running pattern of disputes involving King, including a no-contact order and 51 complaints to Kansas City's 311 system since 2023.
- Mayor Quinton Lucas requested an investigation into how prior concerns were routed and resolved, and Councilman Wes Rogers proposed an ordinance to bar parking in front of mailboxes as prosecutors review whether to seek the death penalty.