Man charged with 2 counts of murder in double Independence shooting, prosecutors say
A man has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder following a daybreak shooting that left two people dead in Independence over the weekend.
Steven B. Turner Jr., 44, of Higginsville, is accused of killing Billy Davis and Ashley Walker, who were found shot inside a car that had crashed into another parked vehicle on Sunday morning. The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office is requesting Turner be held on $300,000 cash-only bond.
On May 23 about 6:30 a.m., Independence police were alerted to a crash in the 500 block of South Ash Avenue. Others called police to report the sound of gunshots nearby around the same time.
Responding officers at the accident scene found Davis and Walker in a Jeep Renegade SUV that had crashed into a parked vehicle on the street.
The SUV was riddled with bullet holes at the front driver’s side window and the rear glass was shattered, court documents said. Both were taken to a hospital and died there.
When officers responded to the shots-fired call in the area of Kentucky and Huttig avenues, they found several spent shell casings behind a residence there. They also found glass on the ground.
Police interviewed two children riding bikes who were within earshot when the shooting happened. They told investigators they heard the sound of a gun being “racked” and shots fired behind a house moments after the man police later identified as Turner walked outside.
Based on a lead in one interview, investigators were told Turner had shot at Davis on two earlier occasions. Using a federal database, they determined the gun used in the killings of Davis and Walker was the same one involved in five other reported gunfire incidents across Kansas City within the past two years.
Authorities later received a tip saying Turner was staying at a location in Kansas City. On Wednesday, Independence police were joined by SWAT officers and U.S. Marshals to set up surveillance and arrest Turner. Authorities allege the handgun used in the killings was tossed from a third-story window right before Turner was taken into custody.
During an interview with police, Turner allegedly admitted to killing Davis and Walker, saying he did so because another man wanted Davis dead and threatened to kill Turner’s girlfriend. He allegedly told investigators he was unaware Walker was in the SUV at the time, court records said.
The killings of Davis and Walker marked the seventh and eighth homicides in Independence so far this year, according to data maintained by The Star. Last year, the city saw a total of 11 homicides.
This story was originally published May 27, 2021 at 5:25 PM.
