Fatal robbery attempt brings murder charges in Blue Springs teen’s death

Two men in black ski masks had burst in on a Blue Springs apartment for a robbery when 18-year-old Jack Price ran to get a gun — and was shot dead, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Two Blue Springs men — Triston D. Withers, 19, and Daquan M. Tolefree, 20 — both were charged in Jackson County with second-degree murder, attempted armed robbery and two counts of armed criminal action.

Price, who graduated from Blue Springs South High School last year, was shot in the back and arm in the fatal robbery attempt Friday night and died later that evening at the hospital.

Court documents show that witnesses in the apartment recognized one of the men in the masks, and that police also found a cellphone amid shell casings on the back deck where the men had fled.

On social media, Withers told a friend about news accounts of the shooting and wrote, “turning myself in tmmrw he upped a gun on me and it was a wrap,” police said.

Withers and Tolefree surrendered to police Monday night with an attorney, court records show.

The statement from investigators said that several witnesses were in the apartment in the 100 block of Northwest Vesper Street, and that another person was coming to buy some “wax” (which could refer to potent THC, the active ingredient in marijuana).

When a knock came on the door, a witness opened it expecting the potential buyer, but was confronted by the masked men.

One of the men pointed a gun at the witness’s head, demanding to know “where the s--- was,” police said. The witness shouted at Price to get his gun, and then one of the masked men shot him.

Price’s family set up a GoFundMe account, “Remembering Jack Price.”

“My brother, Jack Price, passed away by gun shot January 12, 2018,” wrote the account’s creator. “He was loved by many and will be missed everyday.”

Prosecutors asked for bonds of $150,000 for each of the defendants.

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 5:17 PM with the headline "Fatal robbery attempt brings murder charges in Blue Springs teen’s death."