In the early morning hours of September 23, 2014, a tragic chain of events began to unfold for 19-year-old Miles Cashell of Belton, Missouri. What started as a quiet morning ended in his kidnapping and murder, a brutal consequence of a soured criminal plot. Miles, a young man known for his intelligence, enthusiasm, and infectious laughter, was taken from an apartment he was at, leaving a community to grapple with a senseless loss.
Three men from Cass County were later charged in
connection with his death: 19-year-old Keegan Curtis of Raymore, 20-year-old Kenny Bowman of Belton, and 46-year-old Edmond Lynch, also of Belton. Investigators believe the trio targeted Miles because they thought he had informed the residents of a planned home invasion and robbery, effectively thwarting their criminal enterprise. This suspicion allegedly led them to abduct Miles from a Belton apartment in the predawn hours.
The grim details of Miles' final hours emerged as the investigation progressed. He was taken to a field south of Belton where he was beaten and then fatally shot in the back of the head. His attackers attempted to conceal their crime by covering his body with brush. In a chilling turn, after the murder, two of the men returned to the apartment where they had taken Miles, with the alleged intention of killing his girlfriend as well, but she refused to go with them.
The investigation led to the discovery of Miles' body after one of the suspects provided its location to authorities. The men faced a litany of charges for their roles in the crime. Keegan Curtis, identified as the shooter, was charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, kidnapping, tampering with physical evidence, and abandonment of a corpse. Kenny Bowman was charged as an accessory to first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and kidnapping, among other charges. Edmond Lynch faced charges as an accessory to second-degree murder or felony murder, as well as being an accessory to kidnapping and other offenses. Following a jury trial, Kenny Bowman was found guilty of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, kidnapping, tampering with physical evidence, and abandonment of a corpse.
