Man charged in stabbing that left one dead in Kansas City apartment: court records
A 28-year-old man was arrested and charged this week in a stabbing that left one person dead inside a Kansas City apartment in late July.
Marvin McClenton, of Kansas City, is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of 30-year-old Denzell Swan. McClenton was being held Friday in the Jackson County jail on a $150,000 bond.
According to charging papers, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 2600 block of E. 29th Street on a report of a cutting. Inside the first-floor apartment they found Swan, who was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Swan’s body was located in a hallway leading out toward the back parking lot. On a table in the living room, detectives and crime scene investigators noted apparent blood stains and found a folding knife, which had blood on both sides, on a small table.
Witnesses on scene included the resident of the apartment, who told police he was inside his bedroom as McClenton, Swan and another man were hanging out in the living room. At one point, the witness said, he walked into the hallway to the sound of arguing and saw Swan and McClenton becoming engaged in “mutual combat.”
Another witness contacted by detectives affirmed the story, authorities allege, saying that McClenton and Swan were arguing about the “effectiveness of doctors.” As the men were struggling, the witnesses recalled hearing Swan say that he had been stabbed and tell McClenton: “You’re going to jail.”
After the stabbing, authorities allege McClenton left on foot as Swan sat down in the apartment hallway. The 911 call was then placed by the apartment resident, court papers say.
The knife recovered from the apartment was sent to the Kansas City Police Department’s Crime Lab for testing and analysis. An analyst reported to detectives that McClenton’s DNA was included in the genetic profile developed from the handle of the knife, which was matched through a state database for criminal offenders, according to court records.
McClenton was interviewed by detectives at police headquarters on Wednesday. During the interview, McClenton recalled an argument — something about medical care, he said — and that the other two in the apartment had tried to separate them.
McClenton described Swan as the aggressor, saying he grabbed the knife from on top of a freezer in the hallway because “he is not a good fighter” and was scared of him, according to court papers. He allegedly admitted to stabbing Swan after being struck once in the head, and as he was being struck at least twice more.
As of Friday, court papers did not list a defense attorney for McClenton. Under Missouri law, he faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of second-degree murder.
This story was originally published September 2, 2022 at 8:19 PM.
