KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Greater Kansas City CrimeStoppers hit a new milestone Tuesday, contributing to the resolution of the 20th homicide case since increasing tip rewards in 2019.
CrimeStoppers said in a tweet that the case was the 662nd solved since the organization began in 1982.
Great news!! Thx to an anonymous tip and great detective work by KCPD, the 20th homicide since our $25,000 reward initiative began has been solved!
— KC Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline (@KCCrimeStop) March 3, 2021
The 662nd homicide solved in our programs history, beginning in 1982.
Not the police, all info. is anonymous and cash rewards.
The reward increase – from $10,000 to $25,000 – was part of Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department and community efforts to reduce violent crime, according to a blog post from KCPD Chief Rick Smith.
“An amount like $25,000 can be life-changing for some, and our hope is that it will lead to justice for the families of murder victims,” Smith said in the 2019 post. “Beyond that, we believe it will have a deterrent effect. Maybe bringing a gun to settle an argument isn’t such a good idea with an incentive of $25,000 motivating those with information to come forward.”
RELATED: Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers hits record amount of rewards
One month later, the number of tips submitted to CrimeStoppers increased 150%, Smith said in a July 2019 blog post.
RELATED: Crime trend: Increasing rewards helps police, including KCPD, clear homicides
In the past year, when Kansas City, Missouri, saw a record-number of homicides, family members whose loved ones’ deaths have yet to be solved urged residents to call the CrimeStoppers tip line.
Aishah Coppage lost her son and nephew in 2016 and their case remains unsolved.
“I’m angry because there are two innocent kids dead because of whatever reason that has nothing to do with them. I’m angry because the city, people in the city know who did it and refuse to speak up on behalf of kids,” Coppage previously told 41 Action News.
Detective Kevin Boehm, of CrimeStoppers, said the group received more than 500 tips in the first half of 2020.
Tips, which are always anonymous, can be made over the phone or online, and CrimeStoppers serves as the point of contact between tipsters and detectives.
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For jurisdictions that utilize the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline, anonymous tips can be made by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the 41 Action News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the 41 Action News Mug Shot Policy.
