Alleged drug dealer and victim’s girlfriend charged in fatal Independence shooting

The Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced Monday that a man and woman have been charged in connection to the Dec. 30, 2017 fatal shooting of Steven L. Ragsdale Jr.

Ragsdale was shot outside an apartment complex in the 300 block of North Leslie Avenue in Independence.

David L. Racy III, 25, of Kansas City, and Valincia R. Alexander, 24, of Independence, were each charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action.

According to a probable cause statement, Independence police went to 327 N. Leslie Ave. at 7:09 p.m. Dec. 30, 2017 after receiving reports of shots fired. Officers found Ragsdale with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Court records indicated Ragsdale was shot after a drug deal gone wrong. Alexander, the victim’s girlfriend, allegedly made a Facebook post to buy marijuana from a dealer with the intention to rip that person off, a probable cause statement said. Alexander, in an interview with police, said she and Ragsdale had set up the incident. Alexander said on Dec. 30, 2017 she approached the seller’s vehicle outside the apartment building where she lived, gave the seller, Racy, a fake $100 bill, grabbed a bag of marijuana from Racy, and took off running behind a building where Ragsdale was waiting.

At some point, police said shots were fired, and Ragsdale was hit, court records said.

Alexander and Racy remained in custody at the Jackson County Detention Center on Monday.

This story was originally published January 8, 2018 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Alleged drug dealer and victim’s girlfriend charged in fatal Independence shooting."