In a tragic turn of events on August 3, 2020, Antony D. Taylor, a 26-year-old Black male, was found deceased in his silver BMW sedan which had crashed into a building in the 4900 block of Swope Parkway in Kansas City, Missouri. Responding to what was initially reported as an injury accident, Kansas City police officers discovered Taylor as the sole occupant of the vehicle, seated in the driver's seat.
It was soon determined that he had sustained a single gunshot wound, and the exterior of his car had two apparent bullet holes on the rear driver's side door, indicating a violent encounter had preceded the crash.
The investigation into Antony Taylor's death led detectives to an altercation that occurred in front of a residence in the 4400 block of Indiana Avenue. It was in this area, specifically near 46th and Indiana Avenue, that police found multiple spent shell casings and a firearm component, pinpointing it as the scene of the shooting. Extensive review of video surveillance from various sources, including a city bus, proved crucial in piecing together the events of that evening. The footage not only captured the victim's vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed but also showed the suspect's vehicle and its license plate, providing a vital link to the perpetrator.
This evidence, combined with forensic analysis, led to the identification of a suspect, Michael L. Finnell, a 28-year-old Kansas City man. A significant breakthrough in the case came from DNA found on a laser sight from a handgun that was recovered at the crime scene, which was a match to Finnell. Further investigation, including analysis of cell phone data and social media activity, placed Finnell at the location of the homicide and suggested a motive related to the mother of Taylor's child. Following his arrest during a traffic stop, Michael L. Finnell was charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of Antony Taylor.
