Lee’s Summit man charged in August fatal shooting near Waldo: Court documents
A Lee’s Summit man has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old man near Kansas City’s Waldo neighborhood in August.
La’Relle D. Dennis, 22, was charged with second-degree murder in Jackson County court. He was also charged with unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action.
Dennis allegedly fatally shot Treshaun Wright in the early morning of Aug. 25. Officers with the Kansas City Police Department discovered a wounded Wright in the driver’s seat of a Honda Civic in the 8200 block of Holmes Road around 1:45 a.m. The car was still running when officers arrived, according to court documents. Emergency responders pronounced Wright dead at the scene at 2:05 a.m.
Investigators later discovered a bullet hole in the front windshield of the Civic, according to court documents. One of the car’s rear windows was also shattered and its front and back bumpers were damaged.
A witness — who was romantically involved with Wright, previously dated Dennis and still lived with Dennis — told investigators that she and Wright had been at a party shortly before the shooting, according to court documents. She said that Wright had driven her in the Civic back to the home that she shared with Dennis before the shooting, and that she had briefly stopped inside the house.
Doorbell surveillance camera footage captured about an hour later shows Wright’s Civic colliding with Dennis’ empty white SUV in the driveway, followed by three visible and audible gunshots, according to court documents. The witness can then be seen running into the house while Dennis runs down the driveway into the SUV and drives away, court documents read. Wright can also be seen reversing partially out of the driveway until his car was in the position observed by responding officers.
Although surveillance footage shows the witness reacting to the shooting, she told investigators that she was intoxicated at the time and did not remember seeing it happen, according to court documents.
When searching the home, detectives found a gun billed to Dennis that matched the bullet fragments and shell casings found in and around the Civic, according to court documents.
Treshaun Denzel Wright, known to loved ones as Tre, was born and raised in Kansas City and graduated from Center High School, according to an obituary shared online. An accomplished saxophonist and a lifelong athlete, Wright’s favorite sport was football, which he played in and beyond high school, according to the obituary.
Wright was also involved in mentoring younger students and planning Juneteenth programming throughout Kansas City, and was part of several boards at Faith Mission Church, including the youth ministry. He had hoped to follow in his great-grandfather’s footsteps as a barber, and had started his own mobile barbershop business after completing an apprenticeship, according to the obituary.
“Tre’s memory will be cherished by all who knew and loved him,” the obituary reads. “He will be remembered for his vibrant spirit, dedication to his passions, and unwavering commitment to his family and community.”
Along with multiple extended family members, Wright is survived by his mother, father, stepfather and 10 siblings.
Wright’s death was the 99th homicide reported in Kansas City in 2024, according to data collected by The Star.
Previous reporting by The Star’s Noelle Alviz-Gransee contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 3, 2025 at 6:46 PM.
