Man suspected in Kansas City homicide turns himself in following Amber Alert: police

A man suspected in a Kansas City homicide that led to an Amber Alert being issued for his young daughters over the weekend has turned himself in, police officials said Monday.

Jordan Owsley, 27, turned himself in to authorities Monday morning, Officer Donna Drake, a spokeswoman with the Kansas City Police Department, said in an email.

He is a suspect in a shooting reported just before 4:30 p.m. Sunday in the 1300 block of East 89th Street. Police arrived to find Marvin Williams, 38, lying in the grass and suffering from gunshot wounds in front of a town home, Drake said.

A witness performed CPR until police arrived, but Williams was soon declared dead.

Williams’ shoes stuck out from beneath the tarp covering the rest of his body as a young girl sat quietly on a stoop across the street, watching. Loved ones gathered at the police tape, begging officers for information on who was killed.

“This is a glimpse into what happens at every one of these scenes,” Drake said at the scene. “If that doesn’t stir emotion in you as a citizen of Kansas City, I don’t know what will.”

After 6 p.m., as homicide detectives continued to speak with neighbors and witnesses at the crime scene, an Amber Alert was issued across Kansas and Missouri in search of Owsley and his two daughters, ages 4 and 7. Authorities said the homicide victim was associated with the girls’ mother.

Police said he left the homicide scene in a white KIA Optima. They warned he could be armed.

The alert was canceled just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday, when police found the girls and the white KIA. Owsley remained at large until Monday morning.

Sunday’s death marks the 108th homicide this year in Kansas City, according to data kept by The Star, which includes fatal shootings by police.

Police are asking anyone with information about the homicide to call the department or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. A reward of $25,000 may be available.

Drake told reporters at the scene Sunday that while calling 911 after witnessing a homicide can be “scary and intimidating,” the police department needs the community’s help to address violence in Kansas City.

“I would ask that you put yourself in the shoes of this family,” she said. “Somebody is going to be knocking on their door and changing their life for the worst. Try to have empathy for that and what you would want someone to do if that was your loved one, and do the right thing and make that phone call.”

As a crowd of mourners continued to gather at the police tape, one woman watched from a distance. She lost her own son to gun violence 19 years ago. When she heard there had been a homicide, she said she wanted to stop by.

“Lord have mercy,” she said, before getting back into her car. “Lord have mercy.”