In the quiet neighborhood of Turner in Kansas City, Kansas, Michael "Mike" Capps was known for his love of working on cars and his collection of chainsaws, which earned him the nickname "Chainsaw". At 41 years old, he was a father to two young sons and had built a life for himself, working for about seven years in an auto body repair shop. He remained close with his childhood friends and his parents, who lived about a mile away from his home on South 36th Street.
Friends and family described him as a man with a big heart who had overcome a difficult childhood.
On the evening of March 7, 2016, this sense of normalcy was shattered. Mike Capps was tragically killed in a shooting that also claimed the lives of three other men: brothers Austin and Clint Harter, and Jeremy Waters. The violence that unfolded was later identified as part of a deadly crime spree that spanned from Kansas into Missouri.
The aftermath of the shootings left the community in shock and mourning. Family and friends of the victims, including those of Mike Capps, gathered for candlelight vigils to remember their loved ones. The senseless loss was deeply felt by those who knew Capps as a loving father and a loyal friend.
In the days following the killings, law enforcement launched a manhunt for the person responsible. A suspect was identified and subsequently arrested. He was later charged with murder in connection with the deaths of the four men in Kansas City, Kansas, as well as another killing in Missouri.
