Jackson County prosecutors charge second man in 2016 slaying

Jackson County authorities have charged a second man in the 2016 shooting death of another man in south Kansas City.

Jathaniel M. Odum, 21, of Kansas City, was charged with second-degree murder in the slaying of Emorye M. Spriggs, 20, who was found sprawled on a street curb in the the 8600 block of East 114th Terrace on Jan. 6, 2016.

Spriggs was shot in the lower abdomen and his left hand. He died after being taken to a hospital, police said.

Authorities also charged James H. Francis Jr. for his alleged involvement in the same incident. Odum was arrested Thursday by the Kansas City police violent crime enforcement unit.

According to court records, Spriggs told paramedics he had been in a red car just before the shooting. Witnesses told police someone in the back seat shot Spriggs. After that, a man got out of the car and shot Spriggs a second time.

The man then dragged Spriggs out of the car. Witnesses said a four-door vehicle sped away after the shooting.

According to court records, Spriggs had received at least two phone calls from one of the men on the day of the shooting. A witness told police that Francis and the other alleged assailant were half-brothers.

Investigators found traces of blood inside a car allegedly driven by Odum and Francis on the day of the shooting.

This story was originally published January 12, 2017 at 4:11 PM with the headline "Jackson County prosecutors charge second man in 2016 slaying."