In the summer of 2020, Christopher Marcus Ingram, a 43-year-old Black / African American man, was looking forward to his second wedding anniversary. He and his wife, Ke'Shawne Ingram, had spent the Saturday before his death enjoying simple pleasures, like going out for ice cream. He was known by his family as a soft-spoken and gentle giant with a heart for everyone.
Ingram, a twin and the youngest of six siblings, was considered the baby brother by his older sister, who remembers carrying him everywhere when they were children. He was a hardworking and loving man with a spotless record, someone his family says didn't have any enemies.
On the morning of Sunday, July 19, 2020, Christopher was in the garage of his home on Lathrop Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas. He was mentoring a friend's son when a man dressed in dark clothing approached the open garage. The man opened fire, shooting at both individuals before fleeing in a vehicle. Christopher Ingram was rushed to a local hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The brazen act of violence in what should have been the safety of his own home left his family devastated and searching for answers. His death marked the 27th homicide in the city that year, a significant increase from the 12 homicides reported by the same time in the previous year.
For two and a half years, his family relentlessly pushed for justice, praying for a breakthrough in the case. Their prayers were answered in January 2023 when authorities announced an arrest. Thanks to tips from the public, the U.S. Marshals office located and apprehended Michael Cheatom Jr. in Clay County, Missouri. Cheatom, 31 at the time of his arrest, was subsequently charged with second-degree murder in connection with Christopher Ingram's death. While the arrest brought a sense of relief to the Ingram family, it also reopened the wounds of their profound loss. Ke'Shawne Ingram expressed that while she is grateful to the detectives for their work, she is now forced to live a life she never imagined, one without her husband. It is believed that the intended target of the shooting was the young man Christopher was mentoring that fateful morning.
