On a Sunday evening in October 2014, 10-year-old Machole J. Stewart, a Black/African American fifth-grader, was inside her family's home in Kansas City, Kansas. It was just after 7 p.m. when the sound of what some initially thought were fireworks pierced the air. In reality, it was a hail of bullets from a passing vehicle, riddling the house on New Jersey Avenue. While other family members were present, Machole was the only one struck. A single bullet to the head ended her life at the scene.
The gunfire also damaged cars along a two-block stretch, leaving a community in shock and mourning a life cut tragically short.
Machole was remembered as a vibrant and joyful child, a "fashion queen" who loved to dance. She was a praise dancer at her church and a member of the Gateway Highsteppers drill team. Her family described her as a natural comedian, full of life and always smiling. In the wake of her death, the community rallied, holding vigils and pleading for information that would lead to an arrest. A reward for information was offered, which eventually grew to $7,000, as local police, later joined by the FBI and ATF, worked to solve the case.
For nearly three years, the investigation continued with few public developments, a period of agonizing frustration for Machole’s family. Then, in September 2017, a breakthrough came when the Wyandotte County District Attorney's Office announced that four individuals had been charged with first-degree murder in connection with her death. Two of the suspects taken into custody were identified as Tommy Benson and Cedric Sanders. The news brought a renewed sense of hope to Machole's family that justice would finally be served.
However, this hope was short-lived. In January 2018, less than four months after the charges were filed, a judge dismissed the cases against three of the men, citing a lack of sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. The judge did leave open the possibility of refiling charges if more evidence or witnesses came forward. Months later, two of the previously charged suspects, Benson and Sanders, were arrested in connection with another crime. Despite the initial arrests, the case of Machole J. Stewart's death remains without a legal resolution, leaving her family and community still waiting for justice.
