On the evening of October 13, 2024, a 36-year-old male named DeAnthony Guthrie was fatally shot in the Palestine East neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri. The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot of a convenience store located near East 35th Street and Cleveland Avenue. Officers from the Kansas City Police Department were dispatched to the scene following reports of gunfire. Upon their arrival, they discovered Guthrie in the parking lot suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
Despite the immediate response of emergency medical services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel launched an investigation, canvassing the area for witnesses and reviewing surveillance footage from the business. The video evidence captured the moments leading up to the violence, showing Guthrie and a suspect arriving in separate vehicles around 5:25 p.m. Guthrie was observed entering the store briefly before exiting and approaching a black Chevrolet Blazer. He reportedly spoke with the driver of the vehicle and handed over an item, which a witness later described as loose change. As Guthrie walked back toward his own car, a passenger in the Blazer, later identified as the suspect, exited the vehicle and allegedly confronted him with a handgun before firing multiple times.
Authorities identified the suspect as 37-year-old Tracy L. Parker of Kansas City. Following the investigation, prosecutors charged Parker with second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of armed criminal action. Court documents revealed that Parker admitted to police that he had a long-standing history with the victim, claiming that Guthrie had shot him when they were teenagers and that they had been incarcerated together years prior. Parker stated he had not seen Guthrie in approximately 15 years but alleged there was an ongoing dispute between them. Following his arrest, Parker was held without bond as the legal proceedings commenced.
