‘Person of interest’ in Belton killing charged with unlawful possession of gun
A man police identified as a “person of interest” in the shooting death of a Belton resident was arrested and charged with a firearm offense this week.
Joshua Landon Hance, 34, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in Cass County Circuit Court.
Belton police said they were looking for Hance in connection to the shooting, which happened following an argument between him and the victim, court records indicate.
Police were called to the 300 block of Grand Street after 12:15 a.m. April 20 after receiving a call saying a man had been shot.
Police officers found droplets of blood leading to a larger pool of blood inside a home. The victim, later identified by police as 40-year-old Jeremy Kitscher, was lying face down on a bed with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Kitscher lived in the residence with a few other roommates.
One roommate told police Kitscher arrived home around midnight and noticed someone had gone through his personal belongings. The victim walked down the hallway to Hance’s bedroom and the two men began arguing.
The witness said the pair struggled with each other for a few minutes before Hance allegedly threatened Kitscher with a gun. The victim then released his grasp on Hance.
But when he let go, the witness said Hance then pulled out a handgun and shot the victim in the chest.
Hance allegedly ran out of the home afterward.
Police later found a Jimenez .380 caliber handgun thought to be Hance’s in a wooded area near the 15400 block of White Avenue in Grandview, less than a mile from the shooting scene. Another witness told police Hance left the gun in her car and got it back from her April 19.
Police also recovered a spent .380 caliber shell casing in the bedroom where Kitscher was shot.
Hance was arrested April 24 after he allegedly fled from an agent with the Missouri Department of Revenue. Court records said the agent tried to stop the vehicle for having a fake temporary license plate. The Platte County Sheriff’s Office helped with the pursuit and took Hance into custody after a 45-minute chase.
Hance declined to talk with police in an interview after his arrest.
Belton police later announced the arrest on Facebook and said the prosecutor’s office “declined to file murder charges at this time.”
Cass County Prosecutor Ben Butler could not be immediately reached for comment.
Hance remains in the Platte County jail on charges stemming from the pursuit, Belton police said.
On the firearm charge in Cass County, Hance’s bond has been set at $50,000 cash.
Court records showed Hance was convicted of a felony, tampering with a vehicle, in Clay County in 2014.
This story was originally published April 27, 2019 at 7:42 PM with the headline "‘Person of interest’ in Belton killing charged with unlawful possession of gun."
