KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Prosecutors announced second-degree murder charges against 21-year-old Larry Dodds on Monday.
Charging documents show social media played a key role in the arrest of the man with the Facebook profile address “LsDaShootah.”
Angela Banks was at a Labor Day weekend cookout with family celebrating her sister’s birthday when family says two unknown distant relatives started shooting.
When police arrived on scene at Noble Park near 73rd and Indiana, they found a pool of blood in the pavilion near baby bottles and diapers.
Banks wasn’t the target, but she was one of two people shot who died on her way to the hospital. Detectives set out to determined who killed the 43-year-old.
According to charging documents, tipsters first tracked down the suspect’s Facebook page at that profile address “LsDaShooter.” He went by the name Larry Bennett.
Detectives found Facebook Live videos of the man, later identified as Dodds, sitting next to Banks and the man who was also shot. Police believe he was targeted for revenge.
“With the prevalence of Facebook, of Twitter, Instagram, of Snapchat, someone has always got some type of information on something that’s occurring, so it can be extremely helpful,” KCPD Det. Kevin Boehm said.
“That’s a good way to solve a crime. People pretty much tell on themselves when they get on social media, or they commit a crime and brag on social media,” Edwin Cox said Monday as he walked through Noble Park.
This isn’t the first time social media has helped Kansas City police crack a case.
Earlier this year police found the custom car on Instagram believed to have been used in a hit and run crash that cost LaShanda Temple her leg. In December 2017, police found Mikayla Norris’ body after the killer posted on Facebook where he’d left her body.
Detectives suspect it won’t be the last case where social media plays a role either.
“Acquiring those social media leads so to speak is extremely important. And we would encourage people because of the prevalence of phones if you have information that is valuable, turn that over to the police,” Boehm said.
Dodds is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Police have also identified a 16-year-old gunman through the investigation who they haven’t named.
