In the summer of 2021, a concerned family member's call to the Kansas City police led to a grim discovery that sent shockwaves through the community. On July 15, officers entered a home in the 3200 block of Woodland Avenue to find the bodies of three family members, all victims of a violent stabbing. Among them was 23-year-old Tyla Ransom, a young female whose life was cut tragically short.
Alongside Tyla, authorities found her mother, Shirley Ransom-Muhammad, who was 63, and her
25-year-old brother, Jaelin Ransom. The scene was disturbing, with blood on the floors and walls. A peculiar and unsettling detail emerged as investigators noted that a $100 bill had been placed on each of the victims.
The investigation quickly focused on a member of their own family. Rahman M. Muhammad, the 38-year-old son of Shirley Muhammad and half-brother to Tyla and Jaelin, was identified as a person of interest. Family members had reportedly grown concerned about his increasingly erratic behavior and aggression in the time leading up to the murders. His mother had even expressed fears that he was experiencing psychotic episodes.
Muhammad was located by police the day after the bodies were discovered. During questioning, detectives observed fresh cuts on his hand and what appeared to be blood on his clothing. He was subsequently arrested and charged with three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of armed criminal action. Cell phone data reportedly placed him in the area of the homicides on July 13, two days before the victims were found. Investigators believe he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
