On September 8, 2021, a birthday celebration in the historic 18th and Vine district of Kansas City, Missouri, ended in tragedy for Mortez C. Falkner, a 32-year-old Black male who had turned a year older just the day before. Falkner was enjoying the evening with friends and family, capturing the festivities in social media posts that placed him near East 19th and Vine streets. Shortly after midnight, as the group stood near the intersection, a dark-colored vehicle pulled up beside them.
A person inside a black Cadillac sedan rolled down the driver’s side window and opened fire, striking Falkner as chaos erupted. While some members of the group returned fire at the fleeing vehicle, Falkner was critically wounded and subsequently transported by a private vehicle to Truman Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Detectives from the Kansas City Police Department launched an investigation that relied heavily on surveillance footage and forensic science. Video from the area captured the black Cadillac driving away from the scene, and investigators soon determined that the car had been reported stolen. Approximately one week after the shooting, the vehicle was discovered abandoned near East 28th Street and Walrond Avenue. Inside the car, crime scene personnel recovered critical DNA evidence from the steering wheel and gear shifter. Ballistic testing of shell casings found at the scene of the shooting also provided a forensic link to the suspect, helping authorities build their case over the following months.
Approximately one year later, in September 2022, prosecutors announced charges against Cleon D. White, a Kansas City resident who was already in custody for separate violent crimes. White was initially charged with second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action in connection with Falkner's death. The legal proceedings concluded in February 2024 when White pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of first-degree involuntary manslaughter. He received a ten-year prison sentence for the killing of Falkner. This sentence was ordered to run concurrently with a term of life in prison without the possibility of parole that White had received following a jury conviction for a separate August 2020 double homicide, ensuring he would remain incarcerated for the rest of his life.
