KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City man who killed two people and shot a police officer during a 2007 crime spree was sentenced to 79 years in prison on Friday.

December 16, 2011

Frederick Darrington, Jr., 23, was sentenced to 79 years in prison, which will run concurrent with a 35 year sentence he’s already serving. Prior to these charges, Darrington had a violent criminal record ranging from armed car robberies, armed car-jackings and a hit and run that nearly killed two people.

Retired Kansas City Missouri Police officer Lee Malek, who was forced from the force because of the injuries he sustained when he was shot by Darrington, says that the shooting has left him in pain every day, and it has nearly destroyed him both mentally and physically.

“Clearly his intent was to kill me,” said Malek. “Four bullets went through the door, I don’t know how they missed me. I don’t know how a lot of the bullets missed me. I’m lucky, I’m blessed.”

Malek says that he was upset that Darrington wouldn’t look at him, or any of his victims, in court on Friday.

“I would have liked to have looked at him and have him see what we’ve went through, what it’s done to us and our families, to pay respect for the ones he did kill and families who lost their loved ones,” said Malek.

Murder victims like Andre Taylor, gunned down by Darrington in a case of mistaken identity. His fiance heard him yelling, “It’s not me” right before the shots that killed him rang out. Darrington’s other murder victim, Kevin Sherrils, was shot and killed while walking to his sister’s house.

“We finally have justice for his killer, hopefully it brings some people peace,” said Ronnesha Smith, Sherrils’ sister. “It doesn’t bring me peace because he still has his life and my brother doesn’t have his.”

Mylincia Williams was crossing the street after a Bible study class when Darrington hit her with a stolen car and fled the scene. When Darrington confessed to police that he knew he had hit Williams, he made a crass comment about her figure.

“The hardest thing for me to hear was that he just wanted to take me out on a date,” said Williams. “He didn’t care that I almost died and he left me for dead.”

“I think he got what he deserved, more than we expected, and I think that’s awesome. It’s where he belongs,” said Malek.

Misty Kirwan, whose son Chris Bartholomew was gunned down in a Westport parking lot in 2007, says that she attended the sentencing on Friday because she had heard rumors that Darrington had been involved in her son’s death.

“Listening to the testimony in there, of all the people he hurt, he doesn’t deserve to be in the streets,” said Kirwan. “We want to solve Chris’ case, we want justice like some of the families got here today.”

The Chris Bartholomew case is still considered unsolved, and there is a $30,000 reward for information that can help police close that case.

http://chrisrbartholomew.com

Chris Bartholomew Killed Outside Drug Store 4 Years Ago

http://www.kmbc.com/news/27900912/detail.html#ixzz1NWcIyrWv

Misty Kirwin & Chris Bartholomew

https://www.cyberstationlive.com/JonLeiberman

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Jon Leiberman is an Emmy award-winning investigative correspondent and producer who has filed hundreds of reports on fugitives across the country and abroad for the FOX TV show “America’s Most Wanted.” An expert in all things crime, he has appeared on national shows including “TODAY”, “Shepard Smith’s Fox Report”, “Nancy Grace,” and “The Maury Povich Show,” and is quoted extensively on crime stories in newspapers throughout the country. In January 2011, Jon started up LeibermanMedia, Inc. – a full service media content producing company whose clients include Webcast TV. Through LeibermanMedia, Jon hosts TrueFacts on CyberStationUSA.com and serves as managing editor for investigative projects at www.track180.com.

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As Albuquerque capital bureau chief for KOAT from 1997-2000, Leiberman earned an Emmy for Live Reporting when he remained on the air for 24-hours straight during a fast-moving wildfire that engulfed thousands of acres. He reported from the ground, and then from a helicopter when the flames came too close. Leiberman has served as a professor in residence at the University of Iowa School of Journalism, and has lectured at the University of Maryland and McDaniel College. He also teaches journalism classes online for www.mediabistro.com, and does media relations seminars. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

Time & Date: Sunday, May 15 · 2:00pm – 5:00pm

More Info
Memorial marking the 4 year anniversary of Chris’s murder. Going to try to get the detective to come out and hopefully release some more info. We will do a balloon release also. Also hoping the media will come out so we can keep Chris’s name and face out in the public

Chris Bartholomew was a young man with many goals. And one of them was to someday work as a police officer. However, on May 20, 2007, a senseless act not only cut Chris’ hopes and dreams short — it cut his life short. Now the 21-year-old’s family is looking for justice.

KANSAS CITY, MO. —
Kansas City Missouri Police and the family of a man killed in a 2007 Midtown shooting are hoping that a website will help to bring his killers to justice.

Chris Bartholomew was shot on May 20, 2007, near 39th and Broadway when he apparently got caught in the crossfire of a gun battle between rival street gang members while he and some friends were walking to his car. He died the next day.

Batholomew’s mother, Misty Kirwan, is hoping that a new website will help bring justice and closure in the case.

“This time of year is very hard,” said Kirwan. “I didn’t get to see him get married, have kids, I missed all that.”

Since his death nearly four years ago, Kirwan has worked to keep his memory alive. Shortly after the homicide, flyers went up all over 39th and Broadway urging witnesses to come forward. Now, anyone with a computer can help to solve this and other cold-cases and unsolved homicides.

“The website is huge,” said Det. Danny Phillips with the KCPD. He is the cold case detective assigned to Bartholomew’s case, and he says that the case is solvable.

“Being cold doesn’t mean that there’s no idea in the world who’s involved, their just not close enough, and sometimes having time to work those cases you can develop what you need to get it done,” said Phillips, who says that just a few minutes on the website could lead to a recalled memory that could bring justice and closure to a grieving family.

“I know people know something, there are people out there that know what happened that night and know who did it and won’t come forward,” said Kirwan.

Phillips says that he understands Kirwan’s frustration.

“If somebody was with the person they believe was responsible for taking Chris’ life, I wanna hear about it,” said Phillips. “I’m not interested in hurting them, I need their help, I want that person that pulled the trigger.”

For more information on KCPD Cold Cases, click here: http://www.kcpd.org

For more information on the Chris Bartholomew case, click here: http://www.chrisrbartholomew.com

Shirley McKeown

On August 24th, 2002, 71 year-old Shirley McKeown set out from her home to help her daughter at her house in midtown Kansas City.  She was never heard from again.

On September 3rd, 2002, her car was found concealed behind a vacant house at 33rd  and Highland.

Due to the amount of her blood and other evidence found in the car, the case was ruled a homicide investigation.

Her body still has not been found and no arrests have been made.  Any tip leading to an arrest in this case is eligible for a cash reward of up to $10,000.

Help Solve this Crime

DeMarco Harvey

Nathan Buie Jr

On July 23rd, 2006, just after 1:00 in the morning, Kansas City, Missouri police officers were investigating a traffic accident at 82nd Terrace and Wornall as a party was breaking up at a nearby fraternal lodge meeting hall.  As the crowd came out to the parking lot a fight erupted between two groups affiliated with Ruskin and Hickman Mills High Schools.  It apparently involved an ongoing dispute.

Suddenly several shots were fired from within the crowd.  As police rushed toward the scene, the crowd scattered, running for safety.  Police found Nathan Buie and DeMarco Harvey, both 20 years old, on the ground, suffering from mortal gunshot wounds.  From all accounts neither man was involved in the fight and were college students and innocent victims.  Several other people received non-life threatening wounds.

Police found several empty shell casings of various calibers and two guns at the scene.  It was obvious that several people in the crowd had fired guns.  As is often the case in these situations, however, police found it difficult to get witnesses to cooperate and the case remains unsolved.

A cash reward is awaiting the caller whose information leads to an arrest in this double murder case.

Help Solve this Crime

Tammy Kay Cochran-Hopper

On March 5th, 2008 at approximately 10:30 a.m., the body of Tammy K. Cochran (Hopper), WF, was discovered near the Cedar Creek boat ramp located at 8255 S. Gardner Road.  The victim’s body had been burned.  The victim has been reported to be in multiple cities throughout the Kansas City Metropolitan area.

The victim was last seen wearing a light green shirt, black shoes, blue jeans with some type of design on the back pockets and a dark blue or black jacket with a fuzzy collar.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).  A reward of up to $18,000 is available for information leading to an arrest.

Help Solve this Crime

Kansas City, MO — The family of Kansas City, Kansas murder victim Jeff Rogers have added $3,000 to the reward for information leading to an arrest in his killing making a total possible reward of $4,000.

Just after midnight on April 9, 2008 Jeff Rogers, 25, called 9-1-1 from his home in the 8400 block of Tauromee in Kansas City, Kansas to report he had been shot and stabbed.  When officers arrived they found him suffering from several gunshot and knife wounds.  He was able to tell police that four or five white males had broken into his home then beat, shot and stabbed him.  He died a short time later at a hospital.

Anyone with information on this murder is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 816-474-TIPS.  All calls are handled anonymously and the reward will be paid in cash to any tip leading to an arrest.

Help Solve this Crime

12/7/2009 – Case Type: Homicide

On December 7, 2009 Wesley B. Binder was found near his home at 60th Terrace and Hunter in Raytown, Missouri.  Family and friends have contributed an additional $3,500.00 to the reward fund bringing the total possible reward up to $4,500.00 for information leading to an arrest in the case.

Help Solve this Crime

Family holds fundraiser to increase tips hotline reward fund in the murder of Wes Binder

Posted: 07/03/2010

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Walking around a crowded room at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Pat Binder thanked people for coming to Saturday’s breakfast fundraiser.

The event was held to raise money for her murdered son Wes Binder.

“I don’t think I’m ever going to have any peace for the rest of my life. I want who did this to my son in jail, but I don’t their mother to go through what I’m going through” Binder said as her eyes filled with tears.

Wes Binder was murdered in Raytown in December of 2009.

His case remains unsolved.

While Pat said she’s grateful so many people showed up to the breakfast fundraiser, the day was more difficult than what she expected.

Pat broke down in tears as she made her way around the room.

“No one could ever understand unless they’ve been through it. You think you could understand but until you’ve been there, you can’t understand. We belong to a special group that nobody wants to be part of” said Misty Kirwan who attended the event.

Kirwan knows, her son Chris Bartholomew was murdered in 2007.

His case also remains unsolved.

“This is a time when you’re doing everything you can to make sure people don’t forget your child,” said Kirwan.

The money raised from the community breakfast will increase the tips hotline reward fund.

If you have any information call (816) 474-TIPS