Black / African American Joshua Gilmore-Harris, a 22-year-old male from Kansas City, Missouri, tragically lost his life on April 1, 2021. The incident unfolded on a Thursday afternoon when police were dispatched to the area near East 68th Street and Walrond Avenue following reports of a shooting. Officers arrived at the scene around 1:30 p.m. to discover a black vehicle that had crashed into a rock wall.
Inside the car, they found Joshua and a second victim, 22-year-old Mia Sheridan, suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene, marking a double homicide that shook the local community.
Investigation into the deaths quickly pointed authorities toward a specific person of interest who was known to the victims. Detectives learned that a 23-year-old man named Michael L. Gilmore had been staying with Joshua and Mia in the days leading up to the violence. According to witness statements provided to law enforcement, Michael Gilmore was the last person seen with the couple. A witness later came forward with information alleging that Michael Gilmore had confessed to the shooting, stating that an argument over money had erupted inside the vehicle before he opened fire on both occupants.
Following these leads, prosecutors in Jackson County formally charged Michael L. Gilmore with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action in connection with the deaths of Joshua Gilmore-Harris and Mia Sheridan. Court records indicated that while Michael Gilmore initially denied being with the victims on that day, claiming he had not seen Joshua for a week, the witness testimony and circumstantial evidence led to his arrest. A judge subsequently set his bond at $500,000 as the legal case against him commenced.
