Man found dead in neighborhood near KC high school after alleged fight, police say
Update: Police identified the deceased as Eric Stennis, 52. A man is in custody in relation to the homicide as of Tuesday night.
Kansas City police are investigating a homicide after they found a man lying dead in the street Monday night.
Officers accompanied paramedics on a medical call just after 11 p.m. in the 3000 block of Mersington Avenue, a few blocks from Central High School, according to Capt. Jake Becchina, a police spokesman. They found a man lying unresponsive in the street with significant injuries.
The extent of the man’s injuries were unknown, Becchina said in an email. Paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
Police have not yet publicly identified the victim.
Witnesses told officers that there was a physical altercation between the victim and others that led to him being injured, Becchina said.
Detectives are still trying to determine what led up to the man’s death by finding more witnesses and gathering evidence.
The killing is Kansas City’s 39th homicide this year, according to data tracked by The Star. At this time last year, the city had recorded 33 homicides.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-8477. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.
This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 8:48 AM.
