KC woman charged with fatally stabbing woman sitting on porch after fight, prosecutors say
A woman who was sitting on the front porch of a Kansas City home following a fight in September was stabbed to death, and one person has been charged in her death, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office announced Thursday.
Tanishia N. Shannon, 38, is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of Ashley Thomas, whose age was not immediately available.
Prosecutors allege Shannon stabbed Thomas, who was sitting on Shannon’s front porch after the two had fought.
According to court records, Kansas City police officers were called to a home in the 6600 block of Indiana Avenue after 7 p.m. on Sept. 19, 2018, in reference to a disturbance. Outside, they met with Shannon and Thomas.
Thomas had a puncture wound to her chest and was taken to a hospital, where she died.
Thomas came to Shannon’s house, looking for her boyfriend, who is Shannon’s brother, Shannon told police in an interview. Shannon told police her brother was not at the house and asked Thomas to leave.
When Thomas became upset, court records said, and the two women started physically fighting.
At one point, Shannon thought she grabbed a steak knife but didn’t think she hit Thomas with it, she told police.
The fight lasted for about half an hour, Shannon and another witness said. Shannon said it ended when she pushed Thomas out of the house through the front door. After that, Shannon told police she didn’t leave the house until police arrived.
A witness who was across the street told police he saw the victim exit the house after half an hour of fighting and sit down on a chair on the front porch of the suspect’s home.
The witness said the victim had been sitting there for about five minutes when the suspect came out, continued exchanging words with the victim and then stabbed her, court records said.
Police arrived shortly after, and the victim fell to the ground, the witness said.
Later, in another interview with police, Shannon denied exiting the home after the fight and stabbing Thomas while she sat on the front porch.
Shannon was taken into custody this week.
Prosecutors have requested a $50,000 cash bond.
This story was originally published April 18, 2019 at 5:25 PM with the headline "KC woman charged with fatally stabbing woman sitting on porch after fight, prosecutors say."
