On the evening of January 13, 2024, a young man named Markese Gleghorn, age 21, was found shot inside a vehicle in the parking lot of a McDonald's on 87th Street Parkway in Lenexa, Kansas. Police responded to a call about an armed disturbance at approximately 7 p.m. and discovered Gleghorn, a male, in a Honda Odyssey. Officers attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of Markese Gleghorn quickly led to a suspect.
Shortly after police arrived at the McDonald's, a 24-year-old man named Dmariea V. Avance called 911 from a nearby apartment complex. Avance told the dispatcher he had been involved in the incident and claimed to have shot someone in self-defense. When officers arrived at the apartment, they met Avance and his father. The father informed the police that the firearm used was inside their home. The Honda Odyssey where Gleghorn was found was registered to Avance's father. Avance was taken into custody that night.
Subsequent investigation revealed that the meeting between Gleghorn and Avance was arranged for a drug transaction. Court documents, including text messages between the two, showed they had planned for Avance to sell Gleghorn a quarter-pound of marijuana for $600. Surveillance footage from the McDonald's showed Gleghorn arriving and then walking towards the van. A short time later, a person was seen exiting the vehicle and running away.
Dmariea V. Avance was initially charged with first-degree murder, criminal discharge of a firearm, and attempted distribution of marijuana. Despite his initial claim of self-defense, Avance later pleaded no contest to an amended charge of second-degree murder in November 2024. A no contest plea means the defendant accepts the conviction without formally admitting guilt. He is currently awaiting his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for February 2025.
