KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Court documents released Wednesday reveal the key role surveillance cameras played in identifying and later charging a suspect in a June 12 murder in Midtown Kansas City, Missouri.
Jackson County prosecutors announced Wednesday they’ve charged Johnny X. Holmes with second-degree murder and armed criminal action for his alleged role in the June 12 murder of 62-year-old Jerry Terry.
Kansas City, Missouri, police detectives were able to obtain surveillance video that captured Holmes and Terry walking in the area of W. 34th Street and Broadway Boulevard around 6:30 a.m. Detectives noticed that Holmes had a very distinctive gait.
Officers who originally responded to the scene on June 12 found Terry suffering from multiple stab wounds to his neck and chest. Police believe Holmes initially attacked Terry from behind and then stabbed him once he was on the ground.
Terry was pronounced deceased on the scene.
During the course of their review of surveillance video, detectives uncovered a similar incident on May 4, 2025, in which a subject with a similar gait to Holmes is seen attacking another homeless person in the same general area. In that incident, the attacker stabbed the victim, though the victim fought the suspect off and was able to survive.
Holmes was taken into custody on June 16 after officers surveilled his Midtown apartment. Holmes declined to talk about the case with detectives.
Prosecutors have requested he be held without bond.
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