Kansas City police ID victim in Sunday shooting, investigate as apparent murder-suicide
Kansas City police have identified a woman who detectives believe was killed Sunday night during an apparent murder-suicide.
Evonne Cruz, 43, is believed to have been fatally shot by 54-year-old Antonio Arbelo, who died from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Kansas City Police Department.
Officers were called to a shooting about 9:30 p.m. in the area of East 9th Street and Prospect Avenue, where they found Cruz suffering from gunshot wounds inside a vehicle that had crashed, police said.
At the same time, officers were called to another shooting at a nearby home in the 2600 block of East 9th Street, where they found Arbelo, said Sgt. Jake Becchina, a police spokesman.
After an initial investigation, police believed Cruz was shot near the same home, Becchina said. Detectives think she began driving away from the residence before crashing a short distance away.
Cruz was taken to a hospital, where she died, police said.
Her killing marked the 75th homicide this year in Kansas City, according to data maintained by The Star. There had been 95 homicides by this time last year, which was the deadliest in the city’s history with 182 homicides.
Police asked anyone with information to call its homicide unit at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
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 seeks the community’s help.
To contribute, visit Report for America online at reportforamerica.org.
