KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City man and woman are now facing charges in Thursday night’s triple homicide near 46th Street and South Benton Avenue.
Lynnsey Jones, 35, and Victor Sykes, 43, have each been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of armed criminal action in Jackson County.
Officers were patrolling in the area when they heard shots just before 9 p.m. They saw a woman in the area with what appeared to be a rifle in her hands and a man walking in the area, court records say.
Police said the woman, later identified as Lynnsey Jones, got into a black sedan but was quickly taken into custody. A firearm was found in the vehicle, police said.
Court records say Sykes fled the area but, after a brief foot pursuit, was also taken into custody.
Two victims were found dead inside a nearby home. One victim was found dead in the street, police said. Court records say rifle casings were found near Larry Barnes in the street.
The three have now been identified as 38-year-old Brandy Jones, 42-year-old Larona “Rhonda” Jones and 40-year-old Larry Barnes.
Court documents say Lynnsey Jones told police she went to the home to buy drugs. After going inside and smoking marijuana with two women she didn’t know, she said she went outside and found two men arguing.
Lynnsey Jones told police the men allegedly had guns. At one point, she said one of the men allegedly shot the other and handed her the rifle. She later denied that Sykes, her boyfriend, was there at all.
Court records say she admitted to shooting all three victims. When asked why, she said, “because I’m a bad person.”
Sykes, who is currently on post supervised release for a previous murder conviction, told police he was at the scene when he heard the gunshots and tried to flee. He denied any involvement, court records say.
A witness, however, told police he saw heard Sykes tell Jones “Shoot him baby, shoot him,” while the two men were fighting, according to court documents.
Prosecutors have requested $500,000 cash bonds for both suspects.
