KC woman accused of beating man to death with hammer, starting fire: court docs
A Kansas City woman has been charged in connection with the murder of her long-time friend, whose decomposing body was found in a September apartment fire, after she allegedly told police she bludgened him to death with a hammer, then lived in the apartment with his body for days until she set the apartment ablaze to cover the crime.
Dianna A. Brown faces charges of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, second-degree arson and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.
The Kansas City Fire Department was called around 1 a.m. on Sept. 19 to a bedroom fire on the second floor of a two-story apartment building near Kensington Avenue and Independence Avenue.
After extinguishing the fire, officials found Robert Hill, 44, deceased with severe burns, apparent head trauma, and signs of decomposition, according to Melesa Johnson with the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Detectives on the scene found smoke detectors without batteries, open and apparently used bottle of lighter fluid, as well as mail and prescription medication allegedly belonging to Brown, according to Johnson.
The medical examiner determined the Hill died from blunt force trauma to the head and ruled it a homicide.
Brown turned herself in on Sept. 27 and allegedly told detectives she’d been friends with the Hill for over 20 years, and was with him at his apartment on Sept. 14. According to court documents, Brown said the two got into an argument over sex that escalated to Hill getting in her face, poking her in the forehead and pushing her down on the couch.
The argument ended when Hill went to sleep, but Brown allegedly told officers she snapped and grabbed a hammer in the apartment and struck him multiple times in the face, chest and groin.
After the killing, Brown allegedly told detectives she cleaned the hammer and moved it to the vacant apartment unit across the hall. She continued to live in the apartment for five more days, and even had a guest come over who saw the body and promised not to tell.
On the day of the fire, Brown allegedly told detectives the apartment began to smell bad, so she doused the room and the clothes she wore the night of the murder with two bottles of lighter fluid, allegedly adding she wanted anything that could identify her burned.
In response to the killing, Brown allegedly said Hill didn’t deserve it. She is being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond.
Previous reporting by the Star’s Kendrick Calfee was used in this piece.
This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 2:30 PM.
