Kansas City man sentenced to life in prison for 2018 shooting that killed 44-year-old
A 56-year-old Kansas City man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Tuesday in Jackson County Circuit Court for a fatal shooting in 2018.
Aasim I. Karim was charged more than four years ago in the killing of 44-year-old Thomas J. Rice III, who was Kansas City’s first homicide victim of 2018. A Jackson County judge has sentenced Karim to 10 years in prison for armed criminal action and life in prison for first-degree murder.
Kansas City police discovered Rice’s body on Jan. 4, 2018, lying outside the driver’s side door of his parked car near the intersection of U.S. 40 and Manchester Trafficway. Officers found that he had been shot once in the head. A .40 caliber shell was located close by, according to court documents.
Witnesses told police that a neighbor, identified as Karim, had been firing a handgun in his backyard before the shooting. They said Karim had been looking for Rice and threatened to shoot him.
Shortly after, Karim was identified by the witnesses during a police lineup. Video surveillance obtained by police showed Karim’s car near the crime scene around the time of the shooting and a car that looked similar to his was seen following closely behind Rice on the footage.
When officers searched Karim’s home later that week, they found a loaded shotgun and shell casings from the firearm used at the scene.
He was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action on Jan. 10, 2018, and convicted by a Jackson County jury almost three years later in November 2021.
Karim’s defense attorney has not responded to a request for comment.
This story was originally published February 10, 2022 at 3:30 PM.
