Man charged in deadly KC Northland shooting after series of neighborhood disputes
A 42-year-old Kansas City man was charged with murder in the death of a neighbor after a fight escalated into gunfire in the Northland on Monday, court records show.
The Clay County Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday charged Jeffrey Traviss King with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. King was being held in Clay County jail on a $5 million bond.
On Tuesday, police identified the victim as 41-year-old Chris Wells.
“Our condolences go out to the family, friends and loved ones of the man (Chris Wells) who lost his life yesterday,” said Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zach Thompson at a news conference Tuesday morning. “No one should have to experience what they are going through right now and our hearts go out to them.”
After reviewing the evidence, the prosecutor charged King with two crimes. The first-degree murder charge alleges that King, after deliberation, “knowingly caused the death” of Wells by shooting him, Thompson said. If found guilty, King faces a punishment of death or life in prison without being eligible for probation or parole.
The armed criminal action charge alleges that King committed the murder using a deadly weapon, Thompson said. On that charge, King faces a punishment of three to 15 years in prison.
Thompson said they requested a high bond because of the severity of the crimes and “because of the danger we believe the defendant (King) posed to the community. He noted that it’s a constitutional right in Missouri for those accused be entitled to a bond.
Officers responded to the shooting about 7:30 a.m. Monday where they found the victim, later identified as Wells, suffering from gunshot wounds and lying in the street in the 2500 block of Northeast 78th Street, Sgt. Phil DiMartino, a spokesman with the Kansas City Police Department said Monday. Wells died at the scene.
Officers took King into custody, who was in possession of a loaded handgun, Thompson said.
A preliminary investigation revealed that a dispute between two people who knew each other escalated into a fight, DiMartino said. Shots were then fired, striking the victim.
Argument leads to shooting
In a probable cause statement filed in Jackson County Circuit Court Tuesday, detectives said they received the initial 911 call from Wells’ wife.
The woman told investigators she called Wells while he was at work after she saw King throw a blanket into their yard. Wells then came home from work to confront him, and a fight broke out, the woman told police.
During the fight, the woman said she heard what sounded like gunshots and ran to help her husband, who was lying on the ground with apparent gunshot wounds. A relative heard her screaming and notified others to get help, according to court documents.
Wells’ wife told police she saw King holding what appeared to be a handgun, so she backed away and continued screaming for help, according to court documents. When she was able to get out of King’s view, she called police.
According to detectives, police have been aware of a long series of confrontations that escalated over some time between King and neighbors in the area. Wells’ wife told police that since her family moved to the area about two years ago, multiple incidents involving King were reported to the homeowner’s association.
Surveillance footage of fight
Court records say detectives obtained surveillance video of the altercation from a neighboring residence. The video shows Wells sitting on a curb across the street from King’s residence. A vehicle then parks on the street and a man that appears to be King gets out, according to court documents.
Wells then throws a punch that appears to strike King on the head, according to court documents. The fight continues behind a vehicle and is partially blocked by a basketball goal. Wells is then seen backing away from King and raising his hands, according to court documents.
King then walks toward Wells, and the view of the altercation is again blocked by a vehicle. Then, at least eight gunshots can be heard, detectives said.
A friend of Wells showed police he received a text from King at 7:38 a.m. Monday that read, “call me asap.” The friend called him and King allegedly said he had shot someone, according to court records.
A witness who drove in the area at the time of the shooting told police he saw Wells lying on the ground and that when he asked King what happened, King told him he shot Wells dead after Wells punched him.
Two juvenile witnesses allegedly told police they saw King standing over Wells. They both said they saw King shoot Wells in the back as he was lying face down on the ground, according to court records.
Wells reportedly shot 13 times
At the scene, detectives found eight spent 9mm shell casings on the street near Wells’ body. He appeared to have 13 gunshot wounds, five to the front and eight to the back, according to court documents.
Two witnesses told investigators that they saw King shoot Wells in the back while he was laying face down in the street, Thompson said.
King was placed on a 24-hour investigative hold and refused to provide a statement to police, but showed them his injuries from the altercation, according to court records.
In a search of King’s residence, police found 9mm ammunition and multiple 9mm handguns matching the casings found at the crime scene. Investigators also found a handwritten note with Wells name on it, according to court records.
Thompson thanked Kansas City police and his assistant prosecutors for rapidly gathering the evidence and working through the night to bring charges.
Thompson declined to discuss evidence of the case, saying it’s important that they find justice inside the courtroom and that they do not comment on evidence outside the courtroom. He added that they don’t want to prejudice any future findings in the case.
When asked about what message he had for the neighbors who had to deal with King throughout the years, Thompson said: “Well, there are two messages — First, that my heart goes out to them, and second, that they should know that when violent crime is committed in Clay County, they can rely on professional law enforcement investigators to gather evidence, and they can rely on the Clay County prosecutor’s office to prosecute those cases to the fullest extent under the law.”
The killing was Kansas City’s fifth homicide of the year, according to data tracked by The Star. That compares to seven homicides reported at this time last year.
This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 9:11 AM.
