On the evening of June 7, 2016, police officers in Kansas City, Missouri, were dispatched to a residence in the 3500 block of Flora Avenue after alerts from the ShotSpotter system and reports of gunfire. Upon arrival at the scene, authorities discovered the lifeless body of 56-year-old Ricky A. Frazier on the front porch of the home. He had sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the location.
Investigations at the scene quickly directed law enforcement’s
attention to a suspect still inside the residence. Witnesses, including another individual who had been injured during the incident, identified the shooter as the victim's 34-year-old nephew, Dedrick D. Pickens. When officers attempted to make contact, Pickens refused to exit the home, leading to a standoff that lasted several minutes. Police ultimately entered the premises, where Pickens remained uncooperative and had to be tased before being taken into custody.
Further inquiries revealed a chaotic sequence of events preceding the shooting. A witness reported being in bed watching a movie when the sound of gunshots rang out. This witness then observed Pickens standing at the front door, appearing to be in an altered state and holding a firearm, while Frazier was slumped over on the porch. The suspect allegedly chased another person out of the house with the weapon before the gun reportedly discharged again. During questioning, Pickens admitted to detectives that he had smoked three 'sticks' of PCP that day.
A subsequent search of the property and the suspect yielded significant evidence. Officers found a loaded. 357 caliber revolver hidden between mattresses in Pickens' bedroom, along with spent shell casings. A search of Pickens himself uncovered a brown paper bag in his pocket containing multiple smaller bags of a white powdery substance, which field-tested positive for cocaine.
Prosecutors in Jackson County charged Dedrick D. Pickens with multiple felonies in connection to the death of his uncle. The charges included murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree, two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a controlled substance. At the time of the charges, a bond of $250,000 was requested for the defendant.
