Family remembers hardworking man and new father who was killed in Independence homicide
Brothers Riley Youngblood and Sam Casburn had been looking forward to spending last Sunday at Arrowhead stadium watching the Chiefs play in what would turn out to be an epic game.
They would have hollered as the team defeated the Buffalo Bills in overtime, sending them to the AFC Championship.
Riley Youngblood’s seven-month-old daughter and girlfriend, Kali, 22, would have watched from home, covered in red, and anxiously waited to celebrate once he returned.
But he did not make it to the game.
On Sunday afternoon, Youngblood died from gunshot wounds at a Kansas City hospital. He was shot Jan. 20 while driving to work. Independence police found the 23-year-old and his seven-months-old puppy, June, in his pickup truck near U.S. 40 Highway and Valleyview Road.
Independence police are investigating the shooting and have yet to find a suspect, according to Officer Jack Taylor, a spokesman for the department.
“I actually texted my sisters after the game and said there’s no way in hell that Riley didn’t have something to do with that game,” said Brandon Roberts, Youngblood’s uncle.
“One of my sisters texted me back and said ‘I can see him now, laughing and wiping his eyes because he’s crying so hard.’”
Growing up in Blue Springs
Youngblood lost his father at a young age and ended up spending a lot of his childhood with his uncles, aunts and grandparents.
“It’s a very hard thing to do, overcoming that and not being a byproduct of it ... Not using that as a crutch or an excuse for failure. He overcame that and became his own man,” Roberts said.
Though he was raised by his mother, Youngblood’s grandmother loved him like a son.
When Roberts was about 19, he watched Youngblood become close with his father. He said Youngblood gravitated toward Roberts and his four siblings, taking every opportunity to stay with his aunts and uncles.
Youngblood played with his younger cousins and was the life of the party at family gatherings. Whenever he laughed hard, tears would roll from his eyes in showers. Roberts remembers that his joy was so intense, it would force everyone around him into a fit of laughter.
“He was a hard worker,” Roberts said. “Riley got that from his dad, but his character, he got that from us.”
For Youngblood, coming into manhood meant working hard and providing for his family, Roberts said.
He attended the University of Central Missouri to learn about business, in hopes of one day running his own company.
Last year was momentous for Youngblood. He and his girlfriend had a daughter, Kendall, and he bought a lawn mowing business which was growing successfully.
“He did everything he possibly could to make sure his daughter had the life he didn’t get with his father,” Roberts said.
And despite running the business, Youngblood was home often to spend time with Kendall. He often dragged her to his aunt’s house for football on Sunday nights. She was always tucked close against his body, resting on his forearm, as Youngblood cheered for the Chiefs.
“It’s a crazy thing to know someone before they have a kid and then see them after. When Kendall was born, Riley was just on cloud nine,” Roberts said.
It takes a village
The family was praying in a nearby chapel when they heard Youngblood had died Sunday.
Kali was holding their daughter close, choking back tears as her baby cried. She attempted to comfort her, using all her strength to put her own emotions aside.
“She was doing everything she could to still be a mother during that traumatic time,” Roberts said.
But without Youngblood, Kendall and Kali lost their main source of income. And at the age of 22, Kali has become a single mother.
At the time of Youngblood’s death, the family was still working on saving up money for Kendall’s schooling.
“As a father myself, I’m at work today to provide food, clothing, formula for my daughters. And that was taken away from them,” Roberts said.
By starting a GoFundMe, Roberts hopes to get members of the community to help support Kendall and Kali. The money raised will allow the pair to get back on their feet and save for the future.
As of Jan. 28, about $31,097 have been donated.
It took a village to raise Youngblood, Roberts said, and now it’s going to take a village to raise his daughter.
The family will gather to support them as they adjust to life without Youngblood. And on Sunday, Youngblood’s aunts and uncles plan on celebrating his life as the Chiefs play the Bengals.
“I think every game I watch from here on out, Riley will be there in spirit,” Roberts said.
This story was originally published January 28, 2022 at 2:15 PM.
