Man charged in May shooting of ex-girlfriend, 18, outside Kansas City gas station
A Kansas City man has been charged in the death of his ex-girlfriend, Kailey Love, 18, who was fatally shot in May.
Malyck “Tommy” Weaver, 25, has been charged with second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action, according to a news release Wednesday from the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Police responded about 3:40 a.m. on May 23 to a gas station in the area of East Winner Road and Wallace Avenue, where they found Love suffering from a gunshot wound to her chest, according to the Kansas City Police Department.
Love was given life-saving measures, but she was declared dead at the scene, Capt. Leslie Foreman, a police spokeswoman, said at the time.
After firing the shots, Weaver called police and told the dispatcher that he shot his ex-girlfriend, according to charging documents. He was taken into custody at the scene.
Police found Love lying in the parking lot between two vehicles parked near the gas pump.
A witness told police that he and Weaver were socializing in the parking lot of a club when he ran into his friend, Love, who had previously been in a relationship with Weaver, court records show.
Love told the witness she was worried Weaver was involved in a relationship with another woman who was also in the parking lot, charging documents said.
Weaver and Love ended up getting into an argument, the witness told police, adding that Love also accused Weaver of owing her money.
The fight continued when Love followed Weaver in her own vehicle to a nearby gas station, and then to a second gas station on Winner Road, the witness told police.
At the second gas station, the witness, who was riding with Weaver, went into the store. While inside, he heard two gunshots. As he came back outside, he saw Love lying on the ground and Weaver speaking on the phone, court records show.
A second witness at the gas station told police they saw a woman get out of a vehicle and approach the driver’s door of another vehicle as she shouted something about being owed money.
The witness then saw the driver’s door open and watched as two muzzle flashes came from the driver’s area, according to court records. Love then took a couple steps behind the vehicle before collapsing.
Records of Weaver’s 911 call show he told police his ex-girlfriend had followed him to the gas station, according to charging documents.
He also told police that Love had a gun on her at the time of the fight and that it was lying on the ground next to her body, records show. Video surveillance from the scene shows Weaver appear to put a black object that was in his pocket after the shooting — believed to be the firearm — on the ground in the parking lot when police arrived.
A .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun was found on the ground at the scene. No other gun was mentioned.
Court records did not list an attorney for Weaver.
The prosecutors office is asking that Weaver’s bond be set at $150,000 cash.
Loved ones described the young woman and mother as outgoing, fun-loving and ambitious in her obituary. She enjoyed nature, played the violin and listened to slow music.
Love, who was also an athlete, practiced karate, played on the volleyball team and was a cheerleader at Southeast High School, family wrote. She was also a member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the REIGN KC dance team.
She recently received her high school diploma and received a medical assistant certification, family said. Love also enrolled in classes at Metropolitan Community College - Penn Valley with the goal of expanding her own beauty business called “Lashed by Love.”
“She was an artistic model and entertainer,” her obituary read. “Kailey will always be remembered as a hardworking mother that would do anything to see her daughter smile.”
Love’s killing marked the 60th homicide this year in Kansas City. Last year ended with 182 homicides, the most in the city’s history in a single year, 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.
This story was originally published November 3, 2021 at 12:33 PM.
