Kansas City man convicted of first-degree murder in 2017 strangling, prosecutor says
A Kansas City man has been convicted of first-degree murder in the fatal strangling of 24-year-old Ashley Geddes, whose lifeless body was found by her family nearly four years ago in Geddes’ home.
Cedric Russell, 28, was convicted Tuesday by a Jackson County jury of murder in the first degree. He was also convicted on charges of tampering with evidence and tampering with a motor vehicle, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office said.
In June 2017, Kansas City police responded to Geddes’ residence in the 10500 block of East 45th Place on a reported ambulance call. They began investigating her death as a sexual assault and homicide, according to court records.
Investigators found evidence at the scene leading them to suspect Russell, including fingerprints and DNA. Russell allegedly told investigators he was choking Geddes during sex and she stopped breathing, court records say. He allegedly took her car and a few of her possessions and pawned some of Geddes’ jewelry a few days after she died.
During a press conference announcing the murder charges against Russell, Geddes’ mother described her daughter as “intelligent” and “caring,” saying she was an accomplished singer and songwriter who loved life.
“She loved life, and lived her life to the fullest,” her mother, Stacy Gicante, said at the time, before breaking down into tears.
“And she did not deserve this.”
Russell is scheduled to be sentenced in Jackson County Circuit Court on June 3.
