Two Kansas City men are charged in December double homicide

Two Kansas City men have been charged with murder in connection with the fatal shootings of two men on Dec. 14, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

Jimmie L. Verge, 21, and Anthony Murphy, 20, each face two counts of second-degree murder and other charges, according to court records.

They were accused of taking part in a robbery near East 73rd Street and Wabash Avenue that led to the shooting deaths of Gerrod H. Woods and Fanandous B. Groves, both 23 and from Kansas City. A third man survived being shot in the face.

A police investigation of the shooting found that the victims had been lured to a supposed marijuana deal where a group of men instead planned to rob Groves of a pistol, according to court records. The victims were attacked while sitting in a vehicle. Woods jumped out of the vehicle and ran, but he was shot.

A crime scene investigation found evidence of more than a dozen gunshots fired inside and outside the vehicle.

In addition to the murder charges, Verge and Murphy face one count each of robbery and assault plus four counts of armed criminal action.

Both men were in custody Wednesday. Prosecutors requested bond to be set at $500,000 for Murphy and $750,000 for Verge.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 6:07 PM with the headline "Two Kansas City men are charged in December double homicide."