Prosecutors charge 17-year-old in shooting death during a drug deal

Platte County prosecutors have charged a 17-year-old man with second-degree murder in the shooting death of another man in what officials say was a drug deal that went bad.

Dominic E. Pineda of Kansas City is accused in the slaying of Timothy Durden, 18. The shooting happened Monday evening in the 8600 block of North Rhode Avenue. The residence is located in a neighborhood just west of the Zona Rosa shopping and entertainment district.

Pineda also was charged with armed criminal action and attempting to sell drugs near a school. Bond was set at $500,000.

Police found Durden in the rear of the residence at the base of an outdoor deck suffering from several gunshot wounds. Durden was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Durden had attended Park Hill High School until February. School officials said they were not aware if Durden had transferred to another school.

According to court records, Pineda told investigators that he received a Snapchat message from an unknown male who used the screen name “King” and said he wanted to buy two ounces of marijuana at $500 an ounce.

Pineda said that the deal did not feel right because marijuana usually sells for $220 per ounce and “King” was offering to pay double. But Pineda agreed to sell “King” the marijuana and gave him his address.

Pineda said three friends were with him at the residence and was concerned about the purported drug deal. He gave one friend an AR-15 and the other friend an AR-15 handgun. Pineda said he was armed with a XD-45 handgun, court records stated.

Durden arrived in a car with three other people. Durden and another person got out and walked into the residence. Once inside, the men went into the kitchen where Pineda weighed the marijuana. Pineda then asked Durden and the other person if they wanted to buy the marijuana. Durden allegedly grabbed a handgun from his friend and pointed it at one of Pineda’s friends, according to court records.

Fearing for his safety and his friends’ safety, Pineda said, he shot Durden. Durden and one of Pineda’s friends fired shots at each other. Pineda said he ran out the back door and hid under the porch, prosecutors allege.

Durden eventually walked out of the house and was found collapsed in the backyard.

This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 1:08 PM with the headline "Prosecutors charge 17-year-old in shooting death during a drug deal."