KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A 38-year-old man has been charged in the Jan. 17 murder of a Northland woman, officials say.
Thomas W. Farris Jr. was charged Friday with first-degree murder in the death of 46-year-old Rhonda C. Evans. Farris was also charged with first-degree assault, unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of armed criminal action.
According to court documents, KC police were dispatched just before 11 p.m. Wednesday to a reported shooting at a home in the 3900 block of Kensington Avenue in the Northland.
When they arrived at the home, they found a 58-year-old man with apparent gunshot wounds to his head. Neighbors told police he had been knocking on doors, looking for help. He was taken to a nearby hospital and is currently in critical condition.
In a bedroom inside the man’s home, police found Rhonda C. Evans, the 58-year-old man’s girlfriend, dead from multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the back of her head. Six shell casings were also found nearby, according to court documents.
On Thursday, a witness told police they had dropped off Farris at the home around 10 p.m. A second witness showed police text messages that Farris allegedly sent from Evans’ cellphone just before the alleged shooting.
Thursday evening, police said Farris sold the gun he allegedly used in the shooting. Ballistics reports confirmed the shell casings found in the man’s home came from the gun Farris sold. Farris is a convicted felon on numerous charges, including third-degree assault. It is against the law for a felon to possess a firearm.
Farris was taken into police custody Thursday. On Friday, police said Farris admitted to being at the scene of the homicide but denied possessing a weapon.
His bond is set at $1 million.
