Independence police seek help to find 18-year-old wanted for murder in Dec. shooting
Independence police were asking the public for help Friday to locate an 18-year-old wanted for murder in the killing of a 22-year-old man who was shot to death in an Independence apartment building in mid-December.
Vyshon D. Wilson, 18, is accused of fatally shooting Robert G. Butler Jr., of Kansas City, inside an Independence apartment on Dec. 11. A warrant for Wilson’s arrest was issued two days later.
Wilson is charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and armed criminal action in Jackson County Circuit Court. The warrant calls for him to be held on a $250,000 cash-only bond.
On Friday, Independence police shared photographs of the teenager on Facebook as they called for area residents to help locate him. Authorities suspect Wilson may be with family members or friends who may be helping him evade arrest.
The fatal shooting unfolded around 2 a.m. on Dec. 11 in the 4600 block of Brentwood Avenue. According to charging documents for Wilson, police officers found Butler suffering from multiple gunshot wounds at the entryway of the building.
A witness told police there was a small party of around a dozen people at the residence that night. After most of the guests had left, the witness said Wilson shot Butler “for no reason” with an AR-style firearm, according to court documents.
Wilson allegedly fled the scene through the back sliding door and jumped off the deck before running away. A white iPhone was found on the ground near the deck by investigators that was linked to Wilson, authorities allege.
Independence police were asking anyone with information regarding Wilson’s whereabouts to contact the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
