Parkville, MO: Merriam deaths were murder-suicide

MERRIAM | Deaths were murder-suicide

A man and woman found dead in a Merriam apartment on Thursday died as a result of a murder and suicide, police said Friday.

Erik Snow, 35, shot Lesa Baumgardner, 35, of Parkville then shot himself, police said.

Police were called Thursday morning after Snow’s co-worker found the bodies at the Georgetown Apartments, 7200 Eby Drive. Snow worked at a law firm as a legal assistant, police said.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. | Fire damages vacant building

A fire at a vacant building Friday morning took firefighters nearly four hours to extinguish.

The blaze was reported in the 3400 block of Strong Avenue about 8 a.m., Senior Deputy Chief Robert Rocha said. It didn’t appear the building was occupied, Rocha said, but the structure had reportedly been under renovation. Firefighters prevented the flames from spreading to neighboring buildings.

The cause wasn’t known, but the department’s investigators were working with ATF officials and an accelerant-sniffing dog from Topeka’s fire department.

One firefighter was treated on the scene for dehydration and was expected to be fine.

KANSAS CITY | Burst main disrupts water service

Crews were ready to work overnight to fix a 16-inch water main break that happened about 6 p.m. at Red Bridge Road and College Avenue.

Water stopped gushing two hours later, but customers between College and Walrond avenues, from 112th Street to Bridge Manor Drive, were without water, said Colleen Doctorian, spokeswoman for Kansas City’s Water Services Department.

Crews think the hot weather may have heated water and created pressure on the main, causing it to burst. Also, the ground may have shifted as it dried from previous rains, Doctorian said.

JOHNSON COUNTY | Man sentenced for rape

A judge on Friday sentenced a man to more than 64 years in prison for a rape that took place in 1994.

Jurors in May convicted Anthony R. Martin, 45, of rape and sodomy for an attack on a woman in Lenexa.

Investigators matched his DNA to evidence preserved from the crime scene.

In 1998, Martin was sentenced to almost 20 years for a series of break-ins in Lenexa. He was known as the “peephole burglar” for using small pieces of paper to cover peepholes in the doors of apartments across the hallway from apartments he robbed.

LEAVENWORTH | Man admits threatening shoppers

A man pleaded guilty this week to taking a gun into a Leavenworth Kmart store and telling shoppers to leave if they didn’t want to die.

Oliver Gillom Jr., 26, of Leavenworth pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated assault, criminal threat, felony fleeing or attempting to elude and criminal use of a firearm, prosecutors said.

On May 22, he entered the store with a handgun, took over the intercom and told shoppers he was going to kill somebody and whoever didn’t want to die should leave.

Then he drove away with police officers in pursuit.

KANSAS CITY | Police cite mom for leaving girl

Police cited Amanda L. Henderson, 24, for mistreatment of a child after she allegedly dropped off her 2-year-old at a relative’s house without waiting to see whether the girl made it inside.

The girl wandered outside alone until spotted about 5 p.m. Thursday in the 2200 block of Lawn Avenue by neighbors, who called police. Henderson told police the girl disappeared while she was sleeping. But police said they believe she dropped off the girl at a relative’s house without telling anyone.

KANSAS CITY | New charges in fraternity robbery

Prosecutors filed four felony charges Friday against a man who allegedly participated in a brutal home-invasion robbery July 17 at a Rockhurst University fraternity in the 5600 block of Lydia Avenue.

Christian O. Dorsey, 20, faces charges of assault, robbery and two counts of armed criminal action. One victim was knocked unconscious. Another suffered chipped teeth. Several others suffered cuts.

According to court records, eight victims picked Dorsey out of a photo array. He is the second person charged. Police are looking for a third suspect.

ST. JOSEPH | Shooting kills one, hurts another

Police are investigating a double shooting that left a man dead and a woman with multiple wounds.

A neighbor alerted police to the gunfire around 4 p.m. Friday. Police say the shootings were witnessed by three children in the backyard of a St. Joseph home.