Two Kansas City men charged in fatal Independence shooting outside gas station
Two Kansas City men are facing second degree murder charges after an alleged drug deal outside an Independence convenience store, according to charging documents.
Korey C. Matlock, 18, and Sean M. Matlock, 20, were charged with second degree murder, attempted robbery and two counts of armed criminal action in the July 27 shooting.
According to the probable cause statement, Independence police responded to a reported shooting at a 7-Eleven convenience store at 12333 E. U.S. 40 Highway.
When an officer arrived, he saw a teenager, not breathing, lying on the ground near a dumpster. The teenager was later identified as 17-year-old SirJohn Harris.
Surveillance video showed a white Pontiac Grand Am park near the dumpster before a gold Pontiac arrived and parked two spots over.
Eventually, Sean Matlock allegedly brought out a handgun, pointed it at the driver of the gold Pontiac in an apparent robbery, according to documents. Then, Korey Matlock brought out a handgun.
The driver of the gold Pontiac also brought out a handgun at that point and fired several rounds toward Sean and Korey Matlock, Harris and another individual.
Video showed Sean and Korey Matlock fired back at the driver of the gold Pontiac before a passenger in that car, followed by the driver, ran toward the back of the building.
Sean and Korey Matlock, with the third individual, walked back to the white Pontiac, saw Harris near the passenger side and then left “him on the ground with gunshot wounds,” according to the document. Before leaving, Sean Matlock grabbed two packets of marijuana.
Detectives learned the group arrived at the gas station to buy marijuana. Another person later hid one of the handguns behind a doctor’s office dumpster in Prairie Village, Kansas. Detectives later recovered it.
That person also told detectives he overheard a conversation where Korey Matlock discussed robbing the dealer.
The person told detectives that Sean and Korey Matlock had “a history of robbing drug dealers and have done it two other times” that he knew of.
Sean Matlock later told detectives that he was hit by bullets several times.
No defense attorneys were listed in online court records.
Gun violence will be the subject of a new, statewide journalism project The Star is undertaking in Missouri this year in partnership with the national service program Report for America and sponsored in part by Missouri Foundation for Health. As part of this project, The Star will seek the community’s help.
To contribute, visit Report for America online at reportforamerica.org.
