On the evening of November 9, 2024, a violent incident occurred at a residence located in the 2700 block of Garfield Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. Police officers were dispatched to the home around 6 p.m. regarding a reported shooting during a social gathering. Upon entering the premises, first responders discovered an unresponsive 27-year-old male, identified as Marcus J. Oldham-Miller, seated at a dining room table suffering from a gunshot wound.
Despite the immediate presence of emergency medical personnel, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives learned that the victim had been engaged in a game of dominoes when a sudden interaction with another individual in the home escalated into gunfire. Authorities detained a suspect at the scene who was identified as Malik Johnson, a man who had recently relocated to the area from North Carolina and was staying at the residence. Although witnesses reported that there had been no prior argument or exchange of hostile words between the two men before the shooting, Johnson allegedly claimed to investigators that he had acted in self-defense.
Further investigation revealed troubling details, as family members of the suspect mentioned he had been hearing voices for months leading up to the event. Johnson reportedly told police that he had discarded the firearm used in the shooting into a nearby body of water. Following his arrest, prosecutors charged him with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Oldham-Miller, who was originally from Valliant, Oklahoma, was remembered for his affection for his family, specifically his nieces and nephews, as well as his enjoyment of visiting casinos and riding along country roads.
