Man charged in killing outside Lenexa McDonald’s told police he acted in self-defense
A man arrested and charged in the fatal shooting outside a Lenexa McDonald’s earlier this month told police he acted in self defense, according to charging documents filed in court.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed on Jan. 15 in Johnson County District Court, police responded to an armed disturbance at 7:04 p.m. to the McDonald’s at 13330 W. 87th St. Parkway, where they found 21-year-old Markese Gleghorn shot inside a Honda Odyssey.
Police pulled Gleghorn’s body, which was lying in the center row between the driver’s seat and front passenger seat, out of the van and attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Several shell casings were found inside and around the van, and there was a bullet hole in the rear passenger window, according to the affidavit.
Shooting suspect claims self-defense
While officers were at the scene, Dmariea V. Avance, 24, called police and allegedly said he shot someone in self defense and was at a Lenexa apartment, court documents say.
Avance and his father met officers outside the apartment, and his father allegedly told police the involved firearm was inside the home. The Honda where Gleghorn’s body was found had been registered in Avance’s father’s name, the affidavit said.
Officers took Avance into custody. He was later charged with first-degree murder.
His father allegedly told police that Avance was “shaking, cold, teary-eyed, stressed, and exhausted” and seemed to have run home from the McDonald’s.
Avance told his father he didn’t mean to kill Gleghorn but feared Gleghorn was going to kill him, according to the affidavit. He told Avance to call police.
Avance’s father allegedly told police the gun used was a black 9mm that he owned, which he believed had an extended magazine, the affidavit said. Officers later recovered a firearm in a bathroom at the apartment.
A witness who knew Gleghorn and Avance allegedly told police that she bought marijuana from Avance earlier that day. When Gleghorn told her that he also wanted to buy marijuana, the witness put the two men in touch, according to the affidavit.
Text messages showed that Avance planned to sell Gleghorn a quarter pound of marijuana for $600, court documents say. Avance allegedly asked an unnamed person to tell Gleghorn to meet him at the McDonald’s, where Avance would be in his van.
Surveillance video
A review of surveillance footage at the McDonald’s allegedly showed Gleghorn arrive at McDonald’s around 6:09 p.m. and buy a drink.
Around 6:18 p.m., the Honda arrived and parked on the east side of the McDonald’s, according to the affidavit. About a minute later, Gleghorn walked towards the driver’s side of the van before he was outside the camera’s view.
Around 6:20 p.m., a person wearing a gray hoodie exited the Honda and ran eastbound, the affidavit said. Shortly after, the driver’s side door opened and a shadow can be seen of someone standing just outside the van.
Around 7:01 p.m., a Chrysler 200 pulled into the parking lot, and one of the people inside ran into the McDonald’s.
Tamya Coulter, Gleghorn’s sister, previously told The Star that someone Gleghorn was with called the family after the shooting. Once family members arrived at the scene and saw Gleghorn had been shot, she said, they called the police.
