On May 12, 2017, in Kansas City, Missouri, a violent shooting claimed the life of 3-year-old African American Marcus Haislip III. The toddler was buckled into his car seat in a vehicle driven by his father, Marcus Haislip Jr., with another relative in the passenger seat. As they traveled through the Blue Hills neighborhood near 54th Street and Park Avenue, a gunman standing on a nearby porch opened fire on the car. The vehicle was struck by a volley of at least 10 bullets, shattering windows and injuring all three occupants. The child was hit in the head and neck and was rushed to Research Medical Center in the bullet-riddled vehicle, but he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The two adult men survived their injuries.
The investigation into the homicide continued for nearly four years before charges were filed. Detectives located shell casings and a Styrofoam cup at the scene of the shooting. Witnesses reported seeing a man in a red hooded sweatshirt firing a long gun or a high-capacity pistol from the porch. In 2019, the Missouri Highway Patrol notified investigators that DNA recovered from the Styrofoam cup matched Derrick D. Wren Jr. Further breakthroughs occurred in late 2020 when new witnesses came forward, alleging that Wren had confessed to the killing and provided details about the weapon used, described as a 7.62mm firearm with a large magazine.
In February 2021, prosecutors announced charges against Derrick D. Wren Jr., who was already in federal custody on unrelated gun charges. He faced counts of second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and first-degree assault. The lengthy delay in charging was attributed to the need for sufficient evidence to secure a conviction, with authorities highlighting the crucial role of the DNA evidence and witness cooperation in building the case.
The legal proceedings concluded in October 2022 when the 30-year-old suspect pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree assault, and tampering with evidence. A judge sentenced Wren to 12 years in prison for the manslaughter charge, 10 years for each assault count, and five years for tampering, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently. During the sentencing hearing, the victim's mother provided an emotional statement about the sudden loss of her son, who had dreamed of becoming a football player.
In a related sequence of events, the case also saw legal action against the victim's father. Approximately a year after his son's death, Marcus Haislip Jr. was involved in a shooting at a gas station where he targeted a man he believed was a person of interest in the toddler's murder. Haislip Jr. pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with that retaliatory act and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
