Man sentenced to over 10 years in prison for 2020 Leavenworth County deadly shooting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A man who shot and killed a man in a car during an August 2020 Leavenworth County incident was sentenced to prison Wednesday.

Joshua X. Craig, 24, of Independence, pleaded guilty on June 29 to involuntary manslaughter. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to just over 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $11,499.79 in restitution.

The fatal shooting occurred around 2 a.m. on Aug. 16, 2020, after an altercation at a Lansing bar, per court documents.

Craig was a passenger in one of two vehicles pursuing a third vehicle with the victim inside.

As the vehicles drove down Eisenhower Road in Leavenworth, Craig fired a shot in the direction of the victim's vehicle, according to a news release from the Leavenworth County Attorney's Office.

The bullet struck traveled through the rear window and hit Michael Smith, who died as a result of the shooting.

“This case is a tragic example of how one reckless decision can have permanent consequences. Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family, who have carried the weight of this loss,” Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said in a news release.

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