On the night of February 15, 2025, a violent disturbance erupted at a residence located in the 300 block of West Vine Street in Carthage, Missouri. Law enforcement officers were dispatched to the scene around 11:30 p.m. following reports of a physical altercation involving a weapon. Upon their arrival, first responders discovered Johny Danilo Reyes Garcia, a 22-year-old Hispanic male, lying in the yard suffering from a gunshot wound.
Despite immediate life-saving efforts and subsequent transport to Mercy Carthage Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased on Sunday, February 16, 2025.
The investigation into the events leading to the death revealed that a large group of people had gathered at the residence when a fight broke out. Witnesses reported that the altercation was physical until one individual stepped back, drew a pistol, and fired a shot at the victim. Investigators secured a video recording from a witness that reportedly captured the entire incident, showing a suspect wearing a black hoodie and blue athletic shorts engaging in the fight before using the weapon. Following the shooting, the suspect and three other individuals were seen fleeing the scene in a passenger vehicle.
Authorities identified the suspect as 19-year-old Elijah M. Hardee of Joplin, Missouri. Police were able to link Hardee to the crime partially through a traffic stop conducted by the Joplin Police Department earlier that same evening, where Hardee was observed as a passenger wearing clothing that matched the description seen in the witness video. A warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest.
Hardee was located and taken into custody without incident at an address in Galena, Kansas, with the assistance of the Galena Police Department and the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. He was held in the Cherokee County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond, charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. The investigation involved cooperation between multiple agencies, including the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office.
Johny Garcia was remembered by his community as a dedicated father and employee at ADM in Carthage. He was a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church and was survived by his parents, siblings, and a young son. Services were arranged to take place at St. Ann’s Catholic Church following the release of his remains to his family.
