Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced on April 28 that two individuals have been charged in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred earlier this month.
The case involves Edward Mejia-Santos and Aelilyona Baker, who each face one count of second-degree felony murder, one count of armed criminal action, and one count of delivery of 35 grams or less of marijuana. The charges follow an investigation into the death of a victim found by Kansas City police on April 2. Officers responded to reports of a shooting and discovered the victim at the scene with apparent trauma. The individual was pronounced dead at the location. Police also found six nine-millimeter shell casings on the street and a bag of marijuana next to the victim.
According to court records, detectives reviewed messages from the victim’s cellphone showing a conversation with Baker just before the homicide regarding a drug transaction. The exchange included directions sent by the victim and confirmation from Baker upon her arrival.
Further investigation using cellphone data and other leads identified both defendants as being present at the crime scene when the shooting took place. Detectives later recovered nine-millimeter shell casings from Mejia-Santos’s vehicle.
A Jackson County judge has set bond for each defendant at $100,000 cash only. Johnson emphasized that “charges are only accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until the defendants are either found guilty or plead guilty.”
