On August 27, 2019, police in Kansas City, Missouri, were dispatched to a transitional living apartment complex located near West 75th Street and Washington Street following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival at the scene around 1:00 a.m., officers discovered the body of 20-year-old Samuel B. Cummins inside his apartment unit. A White male, Cummins had sustained fatal injuries consisting of multiple gunshot wounds to his head and torso.
Witnesses and surveillance footage provided
investigators with an immediate timeline of the events leading up to the homicide. The video reportedly showed a man, later identified as a neighbor living in the same building, walking up to Cummins' door and knocking. When Cummins opened the door, the assailant allegedly extended his arm into the apartment and fired a handgun ten times before briefly entering the unit and then returning to his own apartment.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on 23-year-old Isiah J. Ferguson, a fellow resident of the facility, which was operated by a nonprofit organization providing housing for young adults. When police attempted to contact Ferguson, he refused to exit his apartment, leading to a standoff that required the evacuation of other residents. After several hours, Ferguson surrendered to authorities at approximately 4:15 a.m.
Following the arrest, prosecutors charged Ferguson with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. During police interviews, Ferguson allegedly admitted to the shooting, telling detectives he had 'suspicions' about the victim and decided to 'get him before he get me.' A search of Ferguson's apartment yielded a 9mm handgun hidden in a laundry hamper, with ammunition that matched the shell casings found at the crime scene. Ferguson also disclosed to authorities that he had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
