Kansas City Family Crisis Preceded Homicide At Plaza Sheraton

In this latest Kansas City homicide there's already a confession, video documentation, drugs and firearms confiscated near the scene of the crime and witnesses; Yet the motive and situation leading up to the murder seems nearly indecipherable.

What reports right now confirm is that a youngster was caught up in drama that involved family & friends and a man who the suspect knew was shot dead in the elevator of this otherwise upscale Kansas City luxury hotel.

Here's the best description of the sitch . . .

In custody, Derell Thompson told police voluntarily that he’d shot someone.

After being read his Miranda Rights and confirming he understood them, Thompson told officers he blacked out and the whole incident was a blur.

He said he shot Darron Mitchem, who was a friend of his, because he thought he’d killed his son in the room.

Thompson said he was also fearful for his own life.

He didn’t know how many times he shot the victim, he told police.

Police obtained a search warrant for Thompson’s room.

Inside the found three handguns with extended magazines, ammunition, three cellphones, narcotics and a scale.

A few more details worth considering . . .

"Police were told on scene that Thompson was seen running with a gun and alongside a (12-year-old) younger male who was later identified as Thompson’s son."

Scary description of the prelude to the murder . . .

A witness who was working as the desk clerk at the Sheraton Suites Country Club Plaza said Thompson approached her about getting a keycard to a room in the hotel because his child was dead in the room.

The clerk said the system was moving slowly, which prompted him to become agitated and she handed him a fake key card to deescalate.

Moments later, she heard him yell, “You think you are going to get away with killing my son?” and several gunshots followed.

From the courthouse . . .

KC man, 35, charged in shooting in Plaza hotel elevator on Tuesday

A 35-year-old A Kansas City man has been charged in the fatal shooting Tuesday of Darron Mitchem inside the Sheraton Suites County Club Plaza, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.

Derell E. Thompson, dob: 3/15/1986, faces Murder 2nd Degree, Armed Criminal Action, Endangering The Welfare of a Child and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon charges.*

According to court records filed today, Kansas City police responded to the Sheraton Suites Country Club Plaza in the 700 block of W. 47th Street on a weapon disturbance. Officers found the vicitim, Darron Mitchem, who later died of several gunshot wounds. Officers found the suspect across the street from the Courtyard Inn with a 12-year-old boy. Police found a handgun in the landscaped area nearby. The suspect spontaneously uttered to police he had shot someone and later he told police he shot the victim as hey were getting onto the hotel elevator. Much of the shooting was captured on video.

Prosecutors requested a bond of $250,000 cash.

Local MSM coverage . . .

Kansas City man faces several charges in Plaza hotel shooting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City man has been charged with several felonies following a deadly shooting inside the Sheraton Suites hotel on the Country Club Plaza Tuesday morning. Derell Thompson, 35, is charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, child endangerment and unlawful possession of a firearm in the incident.

35-year-old man charged in Sheraton Suites Country Club Plaza shooting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A man has been charged in the fatal shooting at the Sheraton Suites Country Club Plaza Tuesday morning. Derell E. Thompson, 35, is charged with one count of second degree murder, armed criminal action, endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Kansas City man charged in deadly shooting in Plaza hotel elevator

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- A 35-year-old A Kansas City man has been charged in the fatal shooting Tuesday of Darron Mitchem inside the Sheraton Suites County Club Plaza. Derell E. Thompson faces second-degree murder, armed criminal action, endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful possession of a weapon charges.

Developing . . .