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JCPAO Press Releases

Posted on: April 10, 2025

Prosecutor Johnson announces charges for second defendant for involvement in 2024 double homicide

Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson today announced charges against a second SAVE KC individual for their involvement in a double homicide that took place in south Kansas City last year. The co-defendant, Linda Ater, was sentenced to 21 years in prison earlier this week.

MrTerrell Simpson, identified by SAVE KC as high-risk for violence, faces two counts of Accessory to 1st Degree Murder and two counts of Armed Criminal Action. *

SAVE KC is a focused deterrence strategy involving the Prosecutor’s Office, the Kansas City Police Department, the City, and service providers, targeting those at-risk of violence. The identified clients are invited to a call-in where they are warned about enhanced enforcement and consequences if they continue engaging in criminal activity. Clients are offered services including housing support, job placement, mental health counseling, and more. 

According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 6000 block of Blue Hills Road on Dec. 9 and located a male in the driver’s seat of a Nissan Sentra and a female on the ground near the vehicle both suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Both victims were confirmed deceased. 

Video surveillance shows the Nissan pulling into the apartment complex parking lot and park in front of the building. Ater and a male, later identified as the defendant, exited from the backseats of the vehicle, both holding firearms. The defendant enters the building.

After the defendant comes back out of the building, Ater fires in the direction of the victim in the driver’s seat. As she is firing, her firearm malfunctions and she retreats into a Chevrolet Malibu parked next to the Nissan. The defendant then begins firing into the Nissan. The passenger side victim is seen on camera footage jumping out of the car but slips and falls to the ground. The defendant runs around the vehicle and discharges his firearm repeatedly directly at the victim. The defendant gets into the Malibu but gets back out to retrieve a firearm from the Nissan. He gets back into the Malibu, and it flees the scene. 

The defendant is not yet in custody. Detectives are looking for tips on the defendant's whereabouts. If you have information, call the anonymous tips hotline: 816-474-TIPS.

* Charges are only accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or pleads guilty.

# # #

Media Contact: 

Jazzlyn Johnson

Director of Communications 

Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office 

415 E 12th Street

Kansas City, MO - 64106

(816) 929-1289 

jazzlyn.johnson@jacksongov.org 

https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com

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