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Man charged in January murder of Riley Youngblood in Independence, Missouri

Riley Youngblood
Posted at 8:07 PM, Feb 11, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-11 22:44:01-05

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A tip helped police find and arrest a suspect in the murder of Riley Youngblood.

The Independence Police Department's Street Crimes Unit and SWAT team arrested Joshua Mongold, 34, Friday in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, according to Independence police.

Jackson County prosecutors charged Mongold with second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon, according to court documents.

Youngblood, 23, was shot on Jan. 20 as he drove to work on U.S. 40 Highway. He died three days later due to his injuries.

"I don't know what led up to someone to do something like that to Riley," Brandon Roberts, Youngblood's uncle, told KSHB 41 News reporter Andres Gutierrez after Youngblood's death.

Court documents reveal Youngblood was involved in what appeared to be a road rage incident with another person in a dark gray 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 extended cab pickup truck.

Surveillance video shows Youngblood's vehicle and the suspect's vehicle turning east onto U.S. 40 Highway from Little Blue Parkway.

The court document states Youngblood "appears to abruptly change lanes in front of the suspect's vehicle."

The suspect's vehicle crashes into the rear of Youngblood's truck and both vehicles raced away.

Police found Youngblood just after 8 a.m. Jan. 20 in his truck with gunshot wounds.

After Mongold's arrest Friday, he denied anything unusual happened the day of the shooting.

Roberts said Youngblood had a seven-month-old daughter, Kendall.

"He was absolutely on cloud nine with his baby girl," Roberts said. "And to see the man he became before to where he was after he had his daughter was extraordinary to see."

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 KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.