In the early morning hours of October 7, 2022, the life of 32-year-old Ashley Martinez was tragically cut short in a violent encounter outside her home in Kansas City, Missouri. Responding to a call about an armed person shortly after 2 a.m. in the 6700 block of South Benton Avenue, police discovered a grim scene. Ashley Martinez was found unresponsive in her front yard, while a man, later identified as 36-year-old Donald Owens, was located inside the screened-in front porch.
Both had sustained fatal gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly pointed to a man who had been living at the residence with his family. David G. McKenzie, a 38-year-old from Orlando, Florida, had been staying at the home with his romantic partner and their two children since August of that year. Witnesses reported that on the night of the killings, an argument had erupted between McKenzie and Owens concerning unpaid rent. The confrontation moved outside, and Martinez followed. Soon after, witnesses heard the sound of four to five gunshots.
Following the shooting, a man identified as McKenzie was seen fleeing the area in a pickup truck. Investigators at the scene discovered paperwork bearing McKenzie's name, linking him to the address. A few days later, police located McKenzie during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 and took him into custody for questioning in connection with the deaths of Martinez and Owens. He was subsequently charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. During an interview with detectives, McKenzie appeared visibly upset and questioned why he would harm someone who had taken him in.
