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Board members of an Overland Park police charity, tasked with assisting the families of fallen officers, used foundation funds to benefit themselves. But it's not clear if they will face any consequences. Plus: How the death of a Kansas City philanthropist turned into the murder trial of the century.
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After dying suddenly under mysterious circumstances, Kansas City philanthropist Thomas Swope became the focus of one of the most publicized murder trials of the early 20th century. It’s long been suspected that Swope’s nephew-in-law murdered him and other members of his family as part of a plot to steal their fortune — but the events remain unresolved more than 110 years later.
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From 2001-2021, more than 20% of Kansas City's homicides have occurred in the Santa Fe neighborhood. Last year, the neighborhood became the focus of KC Common Good's efforts to reduce violence by addressing the root causes. Since then, it's seen a 78% decrease in homicides, leaving Marquita Taylor "cautiously optimistic."
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Kansas City’s Santa Fe neighborhood has invested more than $3.5 million dollars in an effort to reduce violent crime. Residents say it's paying off.
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A little more than a year in, KC 360 says its method of bringing government agencies, police and community groups together to target violent crime has decreased homicides and non-fatal shootings in the Santa Fe area, its first target neighborhood. But leaders say more work has to be done.
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Joseph Heidesch was arrested in October 2021 and charged with 30 felony counts for hiding a camera in his office and watching students change. This summer was sentenced to five years and eight months in a Kansas prison.
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As Kansas City explores constructing a new municipal jail, prison experts say the city has an opportunity to take a different approach to crime. Kansas City has long used its municipal jail for those who violate city codes, but the vast majority of inmates are nonviolent offenders.
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Alvin Brooks has served as a bridge in Kansas City for decades — as one of the city’s first Black police officers, an educator, a civil rights leader, a founder of Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, and almost a Kansas City mayor. Today he’s still on call 24/7 for whenever anyone needs help. As he asks everyone to mark their calendars for his 100th birthday in 2032, he looks back to his earliest days in Kansas City.
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Kansas City is dangerously close to setting a new record high for homicides. Modeled after an Omaha program that drastically reduced gun deaths, the Kansas City nonprofit KC Common Good is taking aim at addressing the root causes of violent crime.
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Since she was appointed head of the Kansas City Police Department eight months ago, Chief Stacey Graves said, reducing violent crime continues to be the top priority.
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Jackson County’s Community Backed Anti-Crime Tax, or COMBAT, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The first-of-its-kind program has been lauded for its contributions to crime reduction. But, with gun deaths climbing each year, it's challenging to measure whether the money makes a difference.
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Officers also raided the home of Marion County Record publisher Eric Meyer, who lived with his 98-year-old mother, Joan, The newspaper reported that Joan Meyer, “stressed beyond her limits and overwhelmed by hours of shock and grief,” collapsed and died.