Independence man facing murder charge in connection to hotel shooting
A 26-year-old Independence man was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder in the shooting death of another man that occurred in a Kansas City area hotel room.
Steven T. Decker, 26, of Independence, Missouri, faces one count of second-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action and two counts of robbery, according to court documents. His charges came one day after police began investigating.
Early Monday, Independence Police Department officers were called to a hotel room at the Executive Inn and Suites in the 15000 block of East U.S. 40 Highway, near Phelps Road, in response to a shooting, according to court documents. Shortly after they arrived, they opened the partially cracked hotel-room door and found a man lying in blood behind it.
The victim, Tomas Galvan, was taken to an area hospital, where he died, according to the probable cause statement.
A witness told police at the scene that Galvan had called two men to give him a ride. They were hanging out in the hotel room, according to court documents, and began arguing over a stolen air compressor. At one point, the men drew firearms and one shot Galvan in the head as he tried to grab the gun. They then fled the scene with Galvan’s items, including his cellphone, according to court documents.
Surveillance video captured by the hotel showed the two men leaving in a vehicle that belonged to Decker, authorities allege. Court records also state that Decker picked up his 6-year-old son from school later Monday, where a school official told police Decker appeared to be crying and had overheard him say he was “going to prison for 25 years.”
Court records did not name an attorney for Decker who could speak on his behalf. He is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond. As of Tuesday night, authorities had released no information regarding additional suspects in the killing.
Galvan’s killing marks the city’s second homicide since Jan. 1. In 2020, Independence had a total of 11 homicides, according to data maintained by The Star.
Gun violence is the subject of a 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.
