Michelle Donato, a 26-year-old Black mother of six, was known in her Kansas City, Missouri, neighborhood for her devotion to her children. A neighbor recalled that Michelle "always had her kids outside playing. Everybody would play with her kids." Her life was cut short just days before Thanksgiving in a burst of violence that began at a party.
On the evening of Monday, November 25, 2024, a gathering was underway at the West Bluff Townhomes in the 1300 block of West Bluff Drive.
According to investigators, a neighborhood dispute involving Michelle, a neighbor, and the neighbor's guests escalated into a large physical fight outside an apartment. The chaos intensified when someone used pepper spray, and more people arrived at the scene. During the brawl, a man allegedly pulled a handgun from his hoodie and fired four to five shots into the group.
Michelle and her mother were both struck by the gunfire. The two wounded women managed to get into a car and flee, but they were found by responding police officers a short distance away on Avenida Cesar E. Chavez just before 8:30 p.m. Both were rushed to a hospital, where Michelle Donato succumbed to her injuries. Her mother survived and was listed in stable condition.
Homicide detectives began piecing together the events of that night. A witness had photographed the license plate of the white Dodge Durango the shooter used to flee the scene, which led investigators to a person of interest. The Durango was later found abandoned and damaged in a parking garage. At the crime scene, detectives recovered shell casings from the shooting.
In March 2025, police arrested De'Airis C. Poindexter on a 24-hour investigative hold for the homicide, but he was later released. The investigation continued, and forensic testing eventually provided a critical link: DNA collected from the shell casings was a match for Poindexter. Based on the DNA evidence and witness identification, charges were filed against him in April 2026.
De'Airis C. Poindexter, 34, was charged in Jackson County with second-degree murder, second-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and three counts of armed criminal action for his alleged role in Michelle's death. As of October 2026, Poindexter remains a fugitive with an active warrant for his arrest. Police are searching for him and have asked that anyone with information on his whereabouts call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
