KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Parkville man is facing murder charges in connection to a deadly road rage incident last month in Kansas City, Missouri’s Northeast Industrial District.
Around 10 p.m. on Sept. 23, police and paramedics received a call about a shooting near the intersection of NE Chouteau Trafficway and Gardner Road.
When police arrived at the intersection, they were waved over to a 2013 gray Honda Civic CRX with the rear window shattered and several apparent bullet holes in the car.
Next to the car, they located the shooting victim, later identified as Cleveland Wright, 57, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Wright was transported to a nearby hospital, where he didn’t survive his injuries.
Homicide detectives used several city traffic cameras in the area to see if they captured the incident. The cameras showed two cars, Wright’s Honda and a black 2025 Chevrolet Trax involved in the incident.
Detectives used recent car sales records reported to the Missouri State Highway Patrol to identify potential drivers of a new Chevrolet Trax, which led them to a possible suspect of Laken Logan, 20.
Detectives visited the car dealership where Logan had purchased the car and discovered the car had a tracking device on it. After making a legal filing for data from the device, detectives obtained the data, which showed the car driving in the area at the time of the shooting and then driving to an address in the Northland that belonged to Laken.
On Wednesday, Oct. 22, Laken was taken into custody in connection to the shooting. During the interview, Laken allegedly admitted to the shooting, telling detectives, “I killed a man that did not deserve it.” Laken is said to have then paused before saying “and neither did I.”
On Thursday afternoon, the Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Laken with one count of second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and one count of firing at a motor vehicle.
Laken made his initial appearance Friday before a Jackson County Circuit Court Judge. He remains in custody on a $750,000, cash-only bond.
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