KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A metro family is grieving following not one but two murders in less than two years.
Both cases remain unsolved, and detectives need more information.
Penesha Murrell lost two brothers in 18 months.
“With us not being able to get over the first one, it was like just a blow in the face,” she said.
Kevin Murrell was her oldest brother. In June 2017, he was one of three found dead parked in a driveway near Gregory and Monroe.
“Witnesses had heard at least 20 gunshots,” Det. Kevin Boehm with Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers said. “If you’re sitting in a vehicle, you’re in a very compromised position. These young men didn’t really have a chance.”
Penesha lost someone she truly looked up to.
“Him being 10 years older than me, I thought he was never wrong. Anything I needed to know or wanted to know, that’s who I would go to,” Penesha said.
When she buried her oldest brother, she had no idea she’d have to go through the whole thing again.
“Fast forward two years to February of this year, 2019, and we have another homicide,” Boehm said.
Penesha’s younger brother Jackie Johnson was also found dead, shot in a car, at 19th and Vine. Officers released surveillance photos of a white SUV they believe was involved.
“At that moment, it was just numbness,” Penesha said.
Family friend Imunique Swinton was so close to Jackie, she was like another sister.
“It was so confusing because we know what kind of person he was. It was just so confusing,” she said of getting the news of his death.
Both women described Jackie as having “very good heart; big heart.”
“It still seems like he’s going to walk through the door and, you know, or we can still go to his barber shop and talk to him and sit around and laugh,” Penesha said.
“The only thing that really keeps me moving and keeps my pushing is the memories with them or the things that I know that they would want me to do,” she continued. “I know they’re looking down over me and following me through this life.”
Now, they’re hoping that someone with information about either homicide will come forward.
Crime Stoppers reminds you: “When you contact Crime Stoppers, you are anonymous. Period. You don’t have to ask us to remain anonymous. That’s how we operate. Feel free to contact us with any information you have.”
Detectives have received a few tips on both these cases, but nothing has led to an arrest yet. Tips leading to an arrest could result in a reward up to $10,000.
If you know what happened to either of these men, please call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. You can also submit a tip online here.
