Late on the night of Sunday, June 11, 2017, police officers in Kansas City, Missouri, were dispatched to a residence in the 4200 block of Monroe Avenue following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, first responders discovered 27-year-old Michael Holmes suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Holmes was transported to a nearby hospital where, despite emergency medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and died a short time later.
Before he passed away, Holmes was able to
provide a crucial dying declaration to authorities, identifying his shooter by the nickname 'Little Meechie.' Investigators learned that Holmes had been at the residence when he received text messages from an individual identifying himself as 'Meechie,' who was attempting to purchase a firearm. Witnesses indicated that Holmes refused to sell the weapon, leading to an argument during which the suspect shot him. The shooter reportedly fled the scene on foot wearing a white hooded jacket.
Using the information provided by the victim, detectives tracked a cell phone associated with the suspect, later identified as 16-year-old Demetrius Woods. When police located Woods, he was found in possession of a. 40-caliber handgun, which forensic analysis matched to the silver and brass shell casings recovered from the crime scene. Woods was taken into custody and initially held in a juvenile detention facility.
While in juvenile custody, authorities intercepted a letter that Woods admitted to writing, in which he confessed to killing Holmes. In August 2017, following a certification hearing, a judge ordered that Woods stand trial as an adult. The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office subsequently charged him with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Prosecutors requested a $250,000 bond, citing the strong evidence collected, including the murder weapon and the written confession.
