In the early morning hours of September 2, 2016, residents in the 2800 block of Mersington Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, were startled by the sound of gunfire. Around 5:45 a.m., police officers were dispatched to the scene, where they discovered the body of a 30-year-old male, Brandon Dontae Johnson, lying in the street. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead at the scene by firefighters.
Investigators recovered 9mm shell casings near his body, marking the beginning of a homicide investigation that would remain unsolved for several years.
Brandon Johnson was a beloved figure in his community, known for his dedication to local youth. He worked as a before- and after-school assistant at George Melcher Elementary School through the LINC Caring Communities program and served as a volunteer coach for youth athletics. Colleagues and family described him as a 'bright face' who always wore a smile and dreamed of opening a center to mentor young boys. He left behind a grieving family, including his mother, a fiancée whom he planned to marry the following February, and three children: a six-year-old daughter, a three-year-old stepdaughter, and an infant son who was just five months old at the time of his death.
For years, the case went cold, leaving Johnson's family desperate for answers. They frequently reached out to the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, urging officials to find the person responsible. It was not until February 2021, nearly five years after the murder, that a breakthrough occurred. Authorities announced the arrest of 35-year-old Terrance A. Jones, a Kansas City man who had been an acquaintance of the victim. Jones was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Court documents revealed that the investigation gained momentum after detectives received a tip from an inmate at the Algoa Correctional Center. The inmate reported that Jones had confessed to the killing, allegedly stating he shot Johnson because the victim had called Jones's incarcerated brother a 'rat.' Further investigation corroborated this account, as witnesses placed Jones with Johnson on the night of the murder. Additionally, ballistics testing linked the gun used to kill Johnson to another shooting that occurred on the same day in the 7600 block of Loma Vista Drive.
When questioned by police in 2018, Jones admitted to being with Johnson shortly before the shooting but denied harming him. However, following the new witness statements and forensic evidence, prosecutors were able to file charges. Jones was taken into custody in Columbia, Missouri, with a bond set at $300,000. Johnson's mother expressed relief at the charges, grateful that the detectives had not given up on seeking justice for her son.
