Charges filed in 1997 killing of Kansas City, Kan., woman

Two men, including one serving a life sentence for another murder, were charged Thursday with the 1997 killing of a Kansas City, Kan., woman.

New leads helped yield first-degree murder charges in the killing of 33-year-old Vicky Ernst, according to the Wyandotte County district attorney’s office.

Although Jason Lanell Rucker and Torry Mashone Johnson are now both 34, they were charged in the juvenile division of Wyandotte County District Court because they were younger than 18 at the time of the crime.

Prosecutors filed motions along with the charges to have both men tried as adults.

Ernst was found stabbed to death Oct. 22, 1997, inside her home in the 900 block of Shawnee Road.

The initial police investigation failed to identify any suspects, but recently members of the district attorney’s office and Kansas City, Kan., police detectives conducted a “comprehensive” review of the case, the district attorney’s office said Thursday.

As a result of that review and new leads worked by police, the charges were filed.

Rucker is now being held in the Wyandotte County jail. His bond was set at $1 million.

Johnson is serving a life sentence in a Missouri prison for the 2005 killing of a Kansas City man. He was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 46-year-old Eric Holden.

Wyandotte County authorities said that despite the filing of charges, they are still seeking additional leads. Anyone with information is asked to call Kansas City, Kan., police at 913-573-6020.

This story was originally published April 9, 2015 at 4:58 PM with the headline "Charges filed in 1997 killing of Kansas City, Kan., woman."