KC man pleads guilty in murders of two whose burned bodies were found in KCK

A Kansas City man pleaded guilty Thursday and was sentenced to life in prison for killing two people whose burned bodies were found in Kansas City, Kan., in September 2013.

Christopher A. Canagan, 30, pleaded guilty to two counts each of second-degree murder and armed criminal action and single counts of kidnapping and unlawful possession of a weapon in the deaths of Dennis Smith and Linda Williams.

Smith was shot in the van while it was parked in the 4900 block of Woodland Avenue, according to court documents. Witnesses said later that Williams ran from the vehicle, but Canagan caught her and forced her back inside.

Canagan told police that he shot Williams when she tried to grab his handgun. Canagan said he drove the van to Kansas, splashed it with gasoline and set it on fire, according to court records.

Mark Morris, mmorris@kcstar.com

This story was originally published December 4, 2014 at 5:56 PM with the headline "KC man pleads guilty in murders of two whose burned bodies were found in KCK."