Kansas City man convicted of involuntary manslaughter, robbery for 2010 killing
Nine years after a 23-year-old Kansas City resident was fatally shot while sitting on his front porch, jurors Thursday found a man guilty in connection to the killing, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release.
Danzel A. Reese, 27, of Kansas City, was found guilty on charges of involuntary manslaughter and first-degree robbery, the news release said.
The shooting happened Aug. 7, 2010, in the 3800 block of Baltimore Avenue.
According to court records, Kansas City police officers were called to the home at 5:09 a.m. and found the victim, Lance W. Rutter, with a gunshot wound. Rutter was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Witnesses told police Rutter was sitting on his porch with another person when two men approached them, court records said.
The men allegedly pointed guns at the pair and demanded money. The witness handed his wallet to the one of the suspects, who took off running. Rutter, who was with the witness, began arguing with the other suspect, who then shot him, court records said.
Another witness, who said he was with Reese that day, told police they had planned on robbing a drug dealer they were supposed to meet in the area. But when the drug dealer didn’t show up, Reese allegedly told the witness he was “just gonna rob anybody,” court records said.
Soon after, the witness told police he saw Reese point a handgun at two people sitting on a porch and saw him fire one shot.
At the scene, police found a laser sight from a handgun just north of the front porch where the victim was shot. DNA swabs of the laser sight matched Reese, court records said.
Reese, who was 18 at the time of the shooting, initially faced charges of second-degree murder and first-degree robbery.
During a trial held this week in Jackson County, Reese was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and first-degree robbery.
Reese is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16.
