24-year-old KC man charged for alleged involvement in January robbery, killing
A 24-year-old Kansas City man has been charged with felony murder in a case where an apartment resident was shot to death during a robbery earlier this year, according to a news release from the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Along with felony murder in the second degree, Jacob T. Everson has also been charged first-degree robbery and two counts of armed criminal action in connection to the death of 67-year-old Joseph Mason.
The killing happened around 8:30 p.m. Jan. 11 in an apartment building in the 1100 block of Hardesty Avenue in Kansas City.
Police were called to the scene and found Mason lying on the floor with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A witness in the apartment told police she heard gunfire not long after Mason answered a knock at the front door.
She said Mason closed the front door and was trying to hold it shut. Voices on the other side of the door reportedly were telling Mason to give them money.
The door broke, causing Mason to fall. The witness said one of the suspects then shot Mason in the head and left, court records said.
Police found two 9mm shell casings and a .45 caliber shell casing at the scene.
More than a month after the homicide, on Feb. 17, police were investigating an unrelated shooting at a home in the 1700 block of Topping Avenue. Police searched the home and found three residents, including Everson, and five firearms, including a .45 caliber Taurus G2C handgun. Police later determined that the handgun fired the .45 caliber shell casing that was found at Mason’s apartment, court records said.
Police obtained search warrants and reviewed the Facebook accounts belonging to Everson and another person. Messages sent to Everson’s account from Jan. 10, the day before the homicide, allegedly discussed committing a robbery. Another Facebook conversation between Everson and another person on Jan. 21 reportedly talked about committing another robbery and mentioned using “that .45 again,” according to court records.
Everson and another person, who was not named in the court records, were arrested on Wednesday and taken to police headquarters for questioning.
The unidentified individual denied any involvement in Mason’s killing.
Everson initially denied involvement. After police confronted him with evidence allegedly linking him to the homicide, Everson told police he and another person were armed with handguns and went to the apartment to rob the victim, according to court records. Everson told police a struggle ensued between the person he was with and the victim, and the victim was shot. After the shooting, marijuana was taken from the victim’s apartment, Everson said.
Prosecutors filed charges against Everson on Thursday.
Everson remained in the Jackson County Detention Center with bond set at $250,000 cash.
This story was originally published June 27, 2019 at 9:06 PM with the headline "24-year-old KC man charged for alleged involvement in January robbery, killing."
