Rance R. Burton, a 44-year-old male, was fatally shot on September 10, 2019, in Kansas City, Missouri, in what authorities have described as a botched robbery attempt that also resulted in the death of another man. The incident unfolded in an apartment building in the 7900 block of Manchester Avenue, where police were dispatched following reports of shots fired.
Upon their arrival, officers discovered two deceased individuals inside one of the apartments.
One of the victims was identified as Rance Burton, who was found in a bedroom with a gunshot wound. The other victim, Dajuan M. Reese, was located in the living room, also deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. Investigators determined that Burton was a co-participant in an attempted robbery with a second suspect.
According to witness statements, the events began when Reese answered a knock at his door and was confronted by Burton. A struggle ensued, and shots were fired. A second armed suspect reportedly entered the apartment alongside Burton. Witnesses told police they heard the victim repeatedly stating, 'I ain't got nothing,' before more gunshots rang out. The second suspect was seen fleeing the apartment as one of the victims collapsed.
The investigation into the double homicide led authorities to identify Kevin D. Dean as a suspect. Evidence gathered at the scene, along with witness descriptions and cell phone records, connected Dean to the crime. A witness reported that Burton had been with a man known as '40' on the night of the killings, and a contact for '40' was found in Burton's phone. This information, along with details from a witness who last saw Burton with a man matching Dean's description, pointed investigators toward him. Further investigation revealed that Dean and Burton had been incarcerated together.
In February 2020, the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office announced that Kevin D. Dean had been arrested and was facing multiple charges in connection with the deaths of Rance Burton and Dajuan Reese. The charges filed against Dean included two counts of second-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action, attempted first-degree robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon. At the time the charges were announced, Dean had been recently arrested in Iowa on unrelated matters.
