MO - Four similar homicides on Indian Creek Trail in Kansas City Aug 2016 *arrest*

[VictoriaH]

As I suspected, this one is puzzling.

Lennox (02/17), wasn't found along the trail at all. While it is true he was found in close proximity to the trail, he was actually found in an apartment parking lot. This apartment complex is located within a few hundred yards of the trail, from what I gather. First thought that comes to mind, was he running home to get help? I'd sure like to know if he had his cell phone on him in order to further or discount this theory. The local newspaper's website states that he was found at 1050 PM. Residential areas have frequent vehicle and foot traffic. Shared living buildings or apartments have even more traffic. This leads me to believe that the victim was not deceased for long before first responders arrived. A body located within a residential parking lot would be discovered much quicker than along a trail. A body in the woods is very different than a body in the streets. This suggests a difference in type of offender, too. Unless, the offender didn't kill him on the trail. As the Kansas City Star reported, the victim was a Vietnam Veteran, per family members. Were their signs of a physical struggle that would support this theory?

This one I wondered about and bothers me the most since I live in the complex. I am pretty sure (but not 100% positive) Lenox was found on the street at 99th and Walnut. I just have a strong feeling and curiosity if he was shot long range from the trail. There seems to be a direct line without bldgs etc in the way. Looking now you couldn't see that with all the leaves on bushes and trees, but in February there was not.

 

[Nick_1]

This one I wondered about and bothers me the most since I live in the complex. I am pretty sure (but not 100% positive) Lenox was found on the street at 99th and Walnut. I just have a strong feeling and curiosity if he was shot long range from the trail. There seems to be a direct line without bldgs etc in the way. Looking now you couldn't see that with all the leaves on bushes and trees, but in February there was not.

A sniper just doesn't fit without knowing more. Hell, not a lot fits with what we know right now. But, law enforcement may be in the same boat.

 

[Nick_1]

Well now they're saying investigators don't believe this one is related to the Indian Creek ones but it sure DOES fit.
But we'll see I guess.

http://www.kmbc.com/article/kcpd-investigate-after-dead-body-found-near-86th-and-woodland/9945847

I've Said it before, "words matter."

"Investigators don't believe this death is connected to the four homicides near the Indian Creek Trail."

Can we conclusively say then, the first four are all connected? Certainly seems the on duty PIO quoted above has reached this conclusion.

 

[VictoriaH]

I've Said it before, "words matter."

"Investigators don't believe this death is connected to the four homicides near the Indian Creek Trail."

Can we conclusively say then, the first four are all connected? Certainly seems the on duty PIO quoted above has reached this conclusion.

Yeah it's hard to know without knowing all the details.
All they are saying is "this one doesn't show the same similarities as the Indian Creek Trail ones".
Do you think they are referring to cause of death?

 

[carbuff]

Intriguing, and scary to go through.

Not long ago we had a cluster of three murders in a relatively small area of a relatively small park in a relatively small city (~60,000 people) not far from us. They were similar victims: older men shot while out walking dogs or walking for exercise. They turned out to be totally unrelated: a robbery, a spousal murder, and a guy done in by his ex-son-in-law. I don't know whether it would be better if these murders turned out to be similarly unrelated; that's four times as many killers. But at least it wouldn't spread.

 

[darkstar105]

They just said on KSHB news that the body found today, off the Trolley Track Trail, "had been there for some time."

 

[VictoriaH]

Ok so NOW the latest could be linked!

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article153259944.html

 

[VictoriaH]

So the latest is a man in his 30's and that would explain why they didnt think it was related.

 

[curious jane]

How would we assess if this was one perpetrator, vs a group? A group taking turns might also have that more frequent tempo of attacks, I'd think. My mind keeps going back to the civil unrest that various factions are trying to foment these days. Professors & politicians alike have suggested that blood might be necessary to combat white privileged, Farrakhan calls for it, among others. I noticed too that kc was having conference in april on white privilege. My thought is perhaps it's this poisonous background atmosphere that has triggered the killer.

 

[wfgodot]

KC Star on the (perhaps) newest one:

Body found in wooded area near walking and biking trail in Kansas City

 

[BamiesFan]

Could these be guys going out for some type of rendez vous?

 

[BamiesFan]

We do live in a very segregated city.

 

[Nick_1]

How would we assess if this was one perpetrator, vs a group? A group taking turns might also have that more frequent tempo of attacks, I'd think. My mind keeps going back to the civil unrest that various factions are trying to foment these days. Professors & politicians alike have suggested that blood might be necessary to combat white privileged, Farrakhan calls for it, among others. I noticed too that kc was having conference in april on white privilege. My thought is perhaps it's this poisonous background atmosphere that has triggered the killer.

Groups involved in civil unrest aren't murders, times four. Groups can kill people. However, I can't recall a group of serial offenders acting on a racially motivated basis.

Then again, that'd be a hate crime. That isn't my area of expertise or knowledge.

 

[Nick_1]

Yeah it's hard to know without knowing all the details.
All they are saying is "this one doesn't show the same similarities as the Indian Creek Trail ones".
Do you think they are referring to cause of death?

A variety of factors contribute to determining any victim's possible connection to another. Yes, COD could be one. Another could be location of the aforementioned wounds, abrasions etc that caused the death. The age is another. Finally, geographic significance is important if operating undering the assumption that a serial offender is on the prowler.

Stage of decomposition is crucial here.

 

[Nick_1]

Could these be guys going out for some type of rendez vous?

Covered this earlier but it likely has already been looked at by law enforcement, as well it should be.

Witness statements, neighbors and associates likely will be important in determining this. For example, "So, how often did you see Tom Doe?" "Every morning." "Oh so you sort of knew Tom Doe? What was he doing every morning?" "Walking his dog."

So if you find Tom Doe walking his dog at 11 o'clock at night, that would be a deviation from routine.

 

[margarita25]

KC Star on the (perhaps) newest one:

Body found in wooded area near walking and biking trail in Kansas City

"Residents in the area said they heard gunshots. One said he heard about five shots at approximately 2:30 a.m. Monday. Donald White said he heard two shots while on a walk at about 7:45 a.m."

 

[margarita25]

Ok so NOW the latest could be linked!

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article153259944.html

"FBI assisting KC police on trail killings; retired special agent says link is possible

Monday, 31-year-old Chase Hardin was found killed just off the Trolley Track Trail, which is approximately two miles north of the sites of the four killings. Capt. Stacey Graves, a Kansas City police spokeswoman, said it is too early to say whether the FBI will assist with this case as well."

 

[margarita25]

Marking this to also post in NOCO; how far away is this from the trails? Not saying it's connected, posting for reference:

Shooter opens fire from car on I-435 and injures one teen victim
http://fox4kc.com/2017/03/08/shooter-opens-fire-from-car-on-i-435-and-injures-one-victim/

 

[Scout87]

I've Said it before, "words matter."

"Investigators don't believe this death is connected to the four homicides near the Indian Creek Trail."

Can we conclusively say then, the first four are all connected? Certainly seems the on duty PIO quoted above has reached this conclusion.

Nick, I've been following along on this thread for a few days now. I'm in Kansas so first wanted to say thank you for providing your insights.

As for your comment above - can we conclusively say the first for are all connected? - I feel almost like we're being given the runaround in KC. I've seen them (media and law enforcement) state the murders along Indian Creek Trail have similarities and a possible connection. And then I've seen them switch and say that there's no evidence linking any of the murders. They basically go back and forth between 'KC possibly has a serial killer' to 'nothing to see here, move along.'

I've seen some connect the most recent murder on Trolley Track Trail to the others at Indian Creek Trail. And then I've seen them say that because the man at Trolley Track was much younger than the other victims, and the death was on a different trail, there's no connection at all. I remember some were saying early on Monday morning right after the victim was found on Trolley Track that there was no connection. How can they deduce that so quickly? Maybe the perp changed his MO and locale because he saw all the news coverage about the investigations and the FBI coming in to help?

For example of the back and forth, there's the following article, which says that there is zero evidence linking any of the murders together in one section and something different in another: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article153222354.html

From the link:
Since August, four white males between the ages of 54 and 67 have been found killed on or near the Indian Creek and Blue River trails, in an area roughly between 95th and 110th streets. Three of the four were walking their dogs. The FBI has joined the investigations into those deaths.
“We’ve asked the FBI to come and look at it to see if they see something that we don’t. To get some different on eyes on it,” said Officer Darin Snapp, a KC police spokesman. “There is still zero evidence linking any of them together.”

And then in the next couple of lines in the same article, there's this quote from KCPD's Stacy Graves: “There is no indication (Monday’s) death is related to the homicides that share similarities in and around Indian Creek Trail,” she said.

IMO, based on what I've seen on the evening news and what I'm reading in articles like the one above, the KCPD needs to get their story straight. Either the murders have a connection, or they don't. People are getting nervous, thinking there's a serial killer on the loose. And based on what I'm seeing, there is. I understand that LE needs to keep a lot of information private to not give away their case, but the back and forth is a bit much.

Anyway, thanks again for taking time to provide your insights on these crimes. They're much appreciated.

 

[wfgodot]

My guess: serial killers, a pair of them, working independently but in full knowledge of one another, and toward a common murderous purpose.