On the afternoon of August 29, 2018, a violent confrontation erupted in the front yard of a residence in Kansas City, Missouri, ultimately claiming the life of 36-year-old Christopher M. Cropp. The male victim had been renting a room at a home located in the 7000 block of Askew Avenue where he was spending time on the front porch before the incident occurred.
Around 1:00 p.m., a Chevrolet Trailblazer pulled up to the property carrying three individuals, including a former roommate of Cropp who had returned to collect personal belongings. What began as a verbal dispute over these items quickly escalated when the argument moved to the front lawn.
According to witness accounts provided to investigators, the situation turned deadly when a passenger sitting in the back seat of the SUV produced a handgun. Cropp, who was standing near the vehicle, reportedly challenged the armed man, asking if he was going to shoot him. The passenger, later identified by authorities as David W. Worlledge, fired a shot from inside the vehicle, striking Cropp and causing him to fall to the ground. Despite his injury, Cropp managed to stand back up and approached the vehicle again, reaching through the open front passenger window in an attempt to snatch the keys from the ignition to prevent the suspects from fleeing.
During this desperate struggle to stop the vehicle, Worlledge allegedly fired at Cropp again, causing him to collapse a second time. The driver of the SUV then retrieved the keys from Cropp's hand, and the group sped away from the scene, leaving the wounded man behind. Emergency responders arrived and transported Cropp to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The medical examiner later confirmed that he had been shot three times.
Police launched an immediate investigation, interviewing witnesses and the other occupants of the vehicle who were later located. The driver and the former roommate cooperated with detectives, identifying Worlledge as the shooter. They detailed how the argument had stemmed from Cropp's refusal to hand over the former roommate's property. Following these leads, authorities located the abandoned Trailblazer the next day and arrested David W. Worlledge on September 4, 2018. Prosecutors subsequently charged him with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with the homicide.
