Man once again faces murder charge in Kansas City

The weekend murder charge filed against James N. Rhymer was not the first for the 31-year-old Kansas City man.

In April 2012, Rhymer was charged in Jackson County Circuit Court with second-degree murder in the shooting death of James Conklin at a home in the Old Northeast area of Kansas City.

But prosecutors said they were compelled to dismiss the charge in February 2013 because some witnesses changed their initial statements about what happened. The case remains an open investigation with Kansas City police.

Rhymer was arrested again on Saturday after a police standoff and was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of David Mendez, whose body was found Friday in rural Cass County.

At the time Mendez was killed, Rhymer was wanted for a probation violation in a resisting arrest case, according to Jackson County court records. A Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers notice about him had said he “should be considered armed and dangerous.”

Mendez, 45, of Independence, was allegedly shot to death last Friday while inside a pickup truck sitting at a stop sign at the intersection of 12th Street and Ewing Avenue in Kansas City, according to court documents.

A witness told police that he saw the shooting, according to court documents. Another witness later led police to the area where Mendez was found.

In the 2012 case, Conklin, 27, was fatally shot inside a house in the 400 block of North Wheeling Avenue. According to court documents, Rhymer allegedly shot Conklin because he was angry that Conklin had disrespected members of his family.

Rhymer, who is being held on a $250,000 cash bond, made his initial court appearance on the new charges Monday. Court records do not list a lawyer for Rhymer.

This story was originally published December 2, 2014 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Man once again faces murder charge in Kansas City."