Two 21-year-old men are charged in Lee’s Summit homicide
Prosecutors have charged two Lee’s Summit men in the Thursday shooting death of a Lee’s Summit teenager.
Court records allege that Jalen J. Randolph and Trevaris D. Rachel, both 21, killed Matthew J. Parker, 17, at his home in the 900 block of Northeast Bristol Drive after going there to purchase marijuana.
A witness reported seeing a white Ford Focus with two males fleeing the scene at high speed.
Police tracked the vehicle Thursday afternoon to a spot near the Bayberry Business Center near Missouri 291 and Bayberry Lane, where they took two people into custody. One was Randolph and the other person was not involved in the crime, police said.
On Friday, Jackson County prosecutors charged Randolph and Rachel each with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery and two counts of armed criminal action. Bond for each has been set at $250,000.
Randolph is a barber who has worked at shops in Kansas City and Lee’s Summit, according to his Facebook page.
According to court documents, Randolph and Rachel previously had bought drugs from Parker. They went to his home Thursday to get marijuana and, according to one witness, to rob him.
According to what Randolph told police, Rachel pulled out a gun and told Parker to “give it up.” After Parker handed over some money, Rachel demanded more and eventually got about $200 from under a sofa cushion. Randolph said he was starting to leave when he heard a gunshot.
Rachel told police a different story, saying Randolph had been holding a gun to Parker’s chest when he heard a shot fired.
Both men told police that after leaving the residence, they drove to Northeast Scruggs and Northeast Rice Road, where Rachel tossed Parker’s cellphone away. Police later found the phone in a storm drain at that location.
Investigators also interviewed a man who said Randolph and Rachel had been planning since Tuesday to rob Parker.
Toriano Porter of the Lee’s Summit Journal contributed to this report.
To reach Tony Rizzo, call 816-234-4435 or send email to trizzo@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published October 31, 2014 at 9:39 AM with the headline "Two 21-year-old men are charged in Lee’s Summit homicide."