On the afternoon of November 22, 2022, a violent double homicide occurred in the Santa Fe neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri, claiming the life of Montez Mack, a 20-year-old Black male. Officers from the Kansas City Police Department were dispatched to the intersection of 28th Street and Prospect Avenue around 1:00 p.m. following reports of gunfire.
Upon arrival, first responders discovered Mack and another victim, identified as Leerick Kelley, suffering from gunshot wounds near the intersection. Despite the efforts of emergency medical personnel, both men were declared deceased at the scene, marking a grim outcome to what began as a daylight walk down a city sidewalk.
Surveillance footage recovered by investigators provided a harrowing account of the final moments before the shooting. Mack and Kelley were observed walking north along the east side of Prospect Avenue when they suddenly appeared startled by something off-camera. The video showed the pair crouching down in a defensive manner as shots were fired. One of the victims was seen attempting to return fire with a handgun while fleeing across the street, and the other was recorded holding a grocery bag containing diapers. The footage further captured one of the assailants chasing the victims down and continuing to fire as they ran. Crime scene investigators later collected thirty shell casings believed to be from the attackers' weapons, alongside five casings attributed to one of the victims.
Witnesses reported seeing the shooters fleeing the scene, running east and jumping over fences through backyards along Lockridge Avenue. Responding officers quickly established a perimeter and tracked the suspects to a nearby area. One suspect, identified as Marques Derrick Smith, was spotted running behind a residence on the 2900 block of Bales Avenue. His younger brother, Marquan D. Smith, was subsequently located in the yard of the same property, allegedly holding an AR-style rifle. Both brothers were taken into custody shortly after the incident.
In the wake of the arrests, prosecutors from the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office filed serious charges against the siblings. Marques Smith and Marquan Smith were each charged with two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. During the investigation, Marques claimed that he and his brother had been at work until 1:00 p.m. and were dropped off by an uncle, but this alibi was reportedly contradicted by the uncle’s statement. Marquan declined to speak with detectives. The court ordered both defendants to be held without bond as the legal proceedings commenced.
