On the morning of November 22, 2024, Craig L. Scott, a 51-year-old African American entrepreneur and father, was at his residence in the 2100 block of Southwest Rutherford Drive in Lee's Summit, Missouri. A graduate of the University of Central Missouri and a dedicated member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, Scott was known in his community for his work as an IT project manager and for operating a food truck business.
Around 8:00 a.m., peace at his home was shattered when a disturbance broke out, leading a witness inside the house to call 911. The caller reported that a man had been shot and indicated that the perpetrator was known to the residents.
Investigators later detailed a violent sequence of events that began outside the home. Scott was reportedly 'bum-rushed' by two men, one of whom was identified as a known individual involved in an ongoing custody dispute with Scott's fiancée. The men forced Scott to retreat into his residence, where the assault escalated. According to probable cause statements, the attackers forced their way inside, where Scott was subjected to a brutal beating. He was struck with a pair of brass knuckles and the extended magazine of a semiautomatic weapon before being fatally shot in the head. Officers arriving at the scene found Scott deceased from the gunshot wound.
The primary suspect fled the scene immediately following the attack but surrendered to authorities several hours later. Police identified him as 31-year-old Keith J. Marshall of Kansas City, Missouri. Authorities revealed that the confrontation stemmed from a weeks-long disagreement between Marshall and Scott’s fiancée regarding the custody of children Marshall shared with the woman.
Following his surrender, prosecutors in Jackson County charged Keith Marshall with second-degree murder, first-degree burglary, unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of armed criminal action. A judge set his bond at $250,000 cash. While reports mentioned a second unknown male participated in the initial ambush, initial court documents focused on the charges brought against Marshall as the investigation continued to establish a complete timeline of the fatal encounter.
