On March 13, 2018, a violent sequence of events unfolded at a residence on Cleveland Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, claiming the life of 49-year-old Michael L. Fisher. The incident began as a heated dispute regarding accusations of theft and personal property involving Fisher, the homeowner, and other individuals present at the house. As the confrontation escalated, Fisher, a Black male, was subjected to a brutal assault.
Witnesses and court records later revealed that during the altercation, he was stabbed by a male individual and subsequently shot. The situation culminated when Fisher, wounded and attempting to retreat into the kitchen, was fired upon again, causing him to fall down the stairs into the basement where he ultimately died.
The crime remained concealed within the home until a tipster alerted authorities. An informant contacted the Kansas City Police Department, reporting that the homeowner had discussed the deceased man and requested assistance in disposing of the body. Acting on this information, tactical response officers executed a search warrant at the property. Inside the basement, they discovered Fisher’s partially clothed body covered by a blanket. Investigators found evidence of the violence throughout the home, including shell casings in the dining room and blood smeared on the walls and railing leading to where the victim was found.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on the homeowner, Michelle L. Dunkin. Following her arrest, Dunkin admitted to police that she had shot Fisher after he had already been stabbed during the argument. She further confessed to discussing plans to dismember the body to hide the crime. In April 2019, a judge found Dunkin guilty of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and being a felon in possession of a firearm following a bench trial. She was scheduled for sentencing later that year, facing significant prison time for her role in the homicide.
Further inquiries led prosecutors to charge a second suspect, Stephanie L. Nance, more than a year after the murder. Authorities alleged that Nance, who was present during the altercation, had also fired shots at Fisher when he attempted to leave the residence. In addition to the homicide-related accusations, Nance was accused of holding the victim’s wife against her will inside the home following the shooting. She faced charges of second-degree murder, kidnapping, and two counts of armed criminal action, with prosecutors requesting a high cash bond given the severity of the allegations.
