Suspect in 13-year-old’s death charged with additional crimes in Kansas, Missouri
A man facing charges related to dumping a Kansas teenager’s body in a Missouri creek bed has been charged on both sides of the state line as he waits in jail for his first court date.
Damon B. Leonard, 47, was originally charged in Bates County, Missouri., on Dec. 22, with abandonment of a corpse related to the death of 13-year-old Linn County, Kansas native, Airen Andula.
On Monday, Leonard received charges in Linn County, .including interference with law enforcement, criminal desecration, and having a vicious dog at large, according to a news release from Kansas City, Kansas, police.
Police seized multiple dogs from Leonard’s property in Pleasanton, Kansas, with additional charges to possibly be filed later, according to police spokesperson Nancy Chartrand.
The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department is leading the investigation with the assistance of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Crime Scene Response Team.
Leonard is being held in the Bates County Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond, after pleading not guilty at his arraignment, and is due for another court appearance court at 9 a.m. on Jan. 15.
The charges come after an hours-long search for Airen last Sunday ended with the boy’s body being found down a large ravine in a creek bed in rural Bates County. Leonard allegedly called the Bates County Sheriff’s Office, telling them the boy is dead and led deputies to his body, according to court records.
Airen was reported missing Sunday night after he left for his friend’s house and did not return home in the Holiday Lakes community near Pleasanton, about an hour south of Kansas City.
No cause of death had been made public by officials in Airen’s death as of Monday. Airen’s mother, Anita Gunn, recently told The Star she was awaiting the results of an autopsy.
People with information are asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 816-474-TIPS (8477) or online at KCcrimestoppers.com.
Airen’s memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Schneider Funeral Home in Pleasanton, according to his obituary.
The Star’s Kendrick Calfee contributed to this reporting.
This story was originally published December 29, 2025 at 6:29 PM.
