Kansas City man convicted of murder in shooting spree that killed Chinese missionary
A Kansas City man who was allegedly high on PCP in 2018 when he started shooting at people in south Kansas City, killing a Chinese missionary, was convicted Monday of second-degree murder.
Jurors in Jackson County also found Curtrail Hudson, 20, guilty of five other charges in the Aug. 1, 2018, shooting spree that killed Xindong Hao, 38, and wounded two other people, according to prosecutors.
In April, Hudson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, two counts of assault, unlawful use of a weapon and four counts of armed criminal action. His guilty plea was withdrawn two months later, according to court records.
Hao, his wife and their four children, who were ages 2, 4, 6 and 8 at the time, relocated to Kansas City from China the day before the shooting. They came to Kansas City to join other missionaries at the International House of Prayer, prosecutors said.
Police were called to the shooting in the 3600 block of Bridge Manor Drive, where officers found Hao dead in front of a home. Several shotgun shell casings were found around him.
A second gunshot victim had been rushed to a hospital. Police found more casings in front of a house nearby at 112th Street and Bales Avenue. A third gunshot victim was wounded while driving in the area, police said.
Hudson told police he thought Hao was the accomplice of another man he had been arguing with, according to prosecutors. Investigators learned that man was one of the living shooting victims.
Hao was speaking on a cellphone when Hudson approached him, police said. Hudson told police he thought he heard Hao say, “He is right here,” according to court records.
After Hao was shot, Hudson hit him multiple times with the butt of the shotgun, witnesses reported. One witness told police Hudson ran behind a truck and “continued to shoot” as he fled.
Police said Hudson threw the shotgun down a storm drain.
Hudson faces up to 50 years in prison when he is sentenced by a judge April 24, prosecutors said.
Hudson’s attorney, Craig Napier, said jurors sent the judge a note saying they would recommend Hudson’s sentences be served at the same time, which would mean he would serve 20 years.
“We have to understand that when people make these tragic mistakes, we don’t just throw them away in prison,” Napier said, noting he wasn’t making light of what unfolded. “I’m glad that the jury saw that.”
This story was originally published February 10, 2020 at 6:14 PM.
