Independence man charged in shooting of Raymore woman found dead in her home
An Independence man has been charged with first-degree murder in the killing of a 39-year-old Raymore woman who was found dead in her home last week, according to court records.
Dale L. Williamson, 41, of Independence, faces charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action and illegal firearm possession in Cass County Circuit Court. He was arrested Sunday and is currently held in the Cass County jail without bond.
The victim, Katie M. Kellen, was shot in the head. Her mother reported the death to police shortly after arriving home Thursday night. Authorities believe Kellen was killed by Williamson the day before, according to court records.
Police were called to the 300 block of Lakeshore Drive around 8:30 p.m. Thursday for a report of a person dead inside the home. Kellen’s mother, who also lives in the home, told police she had last heard from Kellen the previous afternoon through a text message.
The mother also said several items were missing from the house: a small safe with $23,000 cash, two cellphones belonging to Kellen and a square-cut diamond ring.
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage taken from a residence across the street. On the afternoon before Kellen’s body was discovered, she was seen entering the house with a man identified by authorities as Williamson. They had arrived in a white Kia Sorento and parked in the driveway, according to court records.
Less than half an hour later, Williamson is seen leaving the house while carrying several items, including a tan piece of luggage. He makes several trips to and from the house, loading items into the car, before driving away around 4 p.m.
No one else is seen on the surveillance tape leaving or entering the residence until Kellen’s mother arrives the following night, according to court records.
Investigators found surveillance footage from a gas station and a grocery store in the days before her death showing Kellen being driven around as a passenger in what is believed to be the same white Kia Sorento. Police tracked the car and Williamson to his residence in Independence.
According to court records, Independence police approached Williamson in the driveway of his home while he was walking up to the car. He allegedly fled on foot and was arrested after a short pursuit.
Officers searched the car and found two handguns inside the car while executing a search warrant.
Bullets found in one of the guns were stamped with the same brand of ammo as a shell casing recovered from Kellen’s bedroom, court records said. A spent bullet found in a wall near where she was shot was the same caliber of ammunition.
In an interview with police, Williamson allegedly admitted to being at Kellen’s residence on the last day she is known to be alive. He also told investigators he was the only driver of the Kia Sorento found in his driveway and admitted to possessing the two handguns found by police, court records said.
Williamson was convicted of earlier felony offenses that barred him from owning a firearm, including robbery and armed criminal action in Jackson County dating to 1997.
In 2015, Williamson pleaded guilty to being the getaway driver in a string of Kansas City area bank robberies. He was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison, The Star previously reported.
The bank robberies were in St. Joseph, Raytown, Gladstone and Overland Park, which had two.
