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Murder charges filed in deaths of 3 Kansas City Chiefs fans
Prosecutors have upgraded charges to felony murder against two men accused in the deaths of three Kansas City Chiefs fans found dead outside a Missouri home last year, a new court filling shows
Initially in March, the Platte County District Attorney filed charges including distribution of a controlled substance and three counts of manslaughter against Jordan Willis, 39, and Ivory Carson, 42, in connection to the apparent overdose deaths of Ricky Johnson, 38, David Harrington, 37, and Clayton McGeeney, 36.
According to a four-page amended complaint obtained by USA TODAY on June 27, Willis and Carson now face three counts of felony murder in the second-degree.
Under Missouri law, felony murder in the second degree is punishable by no less than 10 to 30 years in prison, or life imprisonment, the amended complaint reads.
A person convicted of manslaughter faces between five and 15 years in prison.
The revised complaint was filed in open court before a judge on June 26, Platte County Attorney's Office spokesperson Tanya Faherty told USA TODAY.
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The men's bodies were found Jan. 7, 2024, outside Willis' suburban Kansas City home where the group gathered to watch an NFL game.
During a news conference earlier this year, officials said Carson was the suspected drug dealer who sold cocaine to Willis and the victims. Court documents also show Carson's DNA was allegedly found on a bag of fentanyl at the scene.
The case attracted national attention as the cause of fans' deaths were shrouded in mystery for nearly a year.
Court records released in March show the men died from toxic effects of fentanyl and cocaine.
For months, law enforcement and prosecutors refused to publicly release the men's cause or manner of death despite their autopsies being complete. At the time, authorities had cited the case's pending investigation.
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After the fans' deaths, the 38-year-old Willis moved out of his rental home, where he had lived alone and worked remotely for a New York hospital, according to his Kansas City-based lawyer, John Picerno.
On June 27, the defense attorney continued to profess his client's innocence, saying Willis maintain he is not responsible for purchasing or supplying the drugs that led to the victim's deaths.
"I believe it's an overreach," Picerno said when asked by USA TODAY about the amended charges. "I believe the previous charges were adequate. It was only done because we turned down a plea offer."
Picerno did not elaborate on the plea offer conditions or when it was offered to his client.
The defense attorney said his client is due in Platte County Associate Circuit Court next month for another hearing on the case.
Mens' bodies found outside after freezing temperatures
According to Kansas City police, officers discovered the fans' bodies two days after the men met to watch a Chiefs game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
On the night of the game, temperatures dipped to 29 degrees, the National Weather Service reported.
Some 48 hours later, police said officers received a call from McGeeney's fiancé, who said she visited the home after not hearing from him. When no one answered the door, she broke inside and found a dead body in the back of the property. When officers arrived, they also found two other men dead in the backyard.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund.
