Trial date looms for suspects accused of murder in Chiefs fans overdose deaths
Two men could soon be tried for murder in connection with the deaths of three Chiefs fans whose bodies were found in a backyard in Kansas City’s Northland more than a year ago.
Jordan Willis and Ivory Carson face amended second-degree murder charges, after having been previously charged with manslaughter and felony drug distribution.
Prosecutors allege Willis and Carson supplied drugs that led to the fatal overdoses of Ricky Johnson, 38, David Harrington, 37, and Clayton McGeeney, 36, on Jan. 7, 2024. The three men had met at Willis’ home that night to watch a Chiefs game, according to court documents.
Both Willis and Carson appeared in person Thursday at a hearing in Platte County Circuit Court. Willis has been out on bond, while Carson has remained in custody.
Earlier this week, a judge denied a motion from Carson’s attorney requesting he be allowed to wear street clothes and attend the hearing without visible restraints.
Prosecutors submitted evidence Thursday in support of second-degree murder charges. A Platte County judge ruled there was enough probable cause to have Willis and Carson bound over to appear in court at a later date.
The two men are due back in court 1 p.m. Aug. 6 in Division 6 of Platte County Circuit Court.
Fiancée finds dead body
The three men’s bodies were discovered two days after the Chiefs game, when McGeeney’s fiancée broke into the basement of the home in the 5200 block of Northwest 83rd Terrace in Platte County.
She called police when she found a body on the back porch.
Officers with the Kansas City Police Department arrived and found two other men dead in the backyard. No one had heard from the three men after that night they met to watch the game, loved ones said at the time.
The case quickly gained national attention and rumors circulated on social media speculating what happened to the three men.
A forensic doctor ruled on Jan. 12, 2024, three days after the bodies were found, that Harrington, McGeeney and Johnson died because of “fentanyl and cocaine toxicity,” according to court documents.
Witness recounts alleged drug use
A witness told investigators that on Jan. 7, 2024, they had been at Harrington’s house for the football game, according to court documents. Allegedly, Willis supplied a plate of cocaine that everyone used.
Before the witness left, the group planned to meet at Willis’ home after the game, according to court documents. The witness said Carson usually supplied cocaine.
Investigators later determined there was a significant amount of Willis’ DNA on the bag of cocaine and a significant amount of Carson’s DNA on the bag of fentanyl, according to court documents.
Text messages between the men were “consistent with the purchasing and use of cocaine,” according to court documents. The messages allegedly show Carson as the main supplier of the cocaine.
Willis’ attorney, John Picerno, previously told The Star that since police had not been able to determine foul play after a year-long investigation, he did not suspect anyone gave the men drugs in an attempt to end their lives.
Since the investigation’s onset, Picerno has been vocal that Willis knew nothing about the men’s deaths. In March last year, Picerno released a statement to local media on behalf of Willis, saying Willis went to bed not knowing his friends were still in his backyard.
On Thursday, Picerno said he felt the hearing was positive and that he looks forward to a possible trial date.
“We were very glad to discover that there is no additional evidence that we did not know about at this time,” Picerno said in a phone call. “We don’t believe that (prosecutors) are going to be able to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that either Mr. Carson or Mr. Willis are responsible for those three men’s deaths.”
The Platte County Prosecutor’s Office declined to comment while the case is ongoing.
Judge adds pre-trial bonds
Carson remains in custody with a $50,000 cash only bond. On Thursday, Carson requested a bond review hearing.
A judge added pre-trial supervision to Willis’ bond conditions. Willis is not allowed to consume alcohol or controlled substances not prescribed by a doctor, and is subject to random drug screenings, court records show.
Previous reporting by The Star’s Caroline Zimmerman contributed.
