In the quiet evening hours of Sunday, March 22, 2015, in Kansas City, Missouri, a verbal altercation escalated into a fatal act of violence that claimed the life of 53-year-old Kelvin B. Paige. The dispute occurred near 25th and Campbell streets, where Paige and another man, Christopher V. Perkins, became engaged in a heated argument.
As Paige attempted to drive away from the scene with a passenger in his car, Perkins allegedly produced a firearm and opened fire on the vehicle.
The passenger managed to escape and flee the scene on foot. Paige's car, however, continued to roll for approximately a block before crashing into a light pole at 25th and Harrison streets. Police were initially called to the area for a reported disturbance and discovered Paige's body outside his wrecked vehicle shortly after 8:30 p.m. Witnesses later reported seeing a man dragging Paige's body by the ankles toward a pickup truck that matched the description of a vehicle driven by Perkins.
Following an investigation, Christopher V. Perkins, then 49 years old, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, an alternative count of felony murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon. A witness confirmed to police that Perkins and Paige had been in a verbal argument just before the shooting. In October 2016, a Jackson County jury convicted Perkins of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon.
However, in a surprising turn of events, a judge ordered a new trial for Perkins after it was revealed that a juror had been seen sleeping during his testimony. Before a new trial could commence, Perkins, then 51, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. In June 2017, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter and one count of armed criminal action. As a result of the plea deal, the charge of unlawful use of a weapon was dismissed. Perkins was subsequently sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.
