KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Two men have been charged in connection to the deaths of three Kansas City Chiefs fans who were found dead in the backyard of a home more than a year ago.
Kansas City Police were initially called to a home in Northland on Jan. 9, 2024, by a woman who claimed to have found a dead body in the backyard while searching for her fiance, 36-year-old Clayton McGeeney.
When police arrived at the home, Jordan Willis allegedly let them inside, though he never opened the door for McGeeney’s fiancee.
Police would ultimately find three bodies – identified as McGeeney, 37-year-old David Harrington, and 38-year-old Ricky Johnson – in the backyard.
Investigations revealed that two days earlier, the three men had arrived at their friend Willis’ home to watch the Chiefs’ final regular season game of 2024.
However, over the next 48 hours, the men would go silent, leaving family and friends to worry. Since the incident, very few updates have been released by law enforcement.
Court documents released Wednesday show Willis and Ivory J. Carson have now been charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
While Willis has long been connected to the investigation because the incident took place at his rental home, Carson was newly introduced to the case during Wednesday’s news conference with Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd and Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves.
Zahnd, citing a doctor with Forensic Medical of Kansas, confirmed Wednesday that the three men died of fentanyl and cocaine combined toxicity. That aligns with toxicology reports obtained nearly a month after McGeeny, Harrington, and Johnson were found dead. At the time, sources told Nexstar’s WDAF that the report detailed several substances found in the men’s bodies, including cocaine and fentanyl.
Zahnd said that detectives “found two plastic bags containing white powdery substances.” One bag, which tested positive for cocaine, also had DNA from Willis on it, he added. The contents of the second tested positive for fentanyl and DNA belonging to Carson was found on the bag, according to Zahnd.
A witness told investigators that he had been at Harrington’s home with Willis, McGeeny, and Johnson on the night of the game and saw a “plate of cocaine allegedly supplied by Willis that everyone was using,” Zahnd said. Another witness reportedly told investigators that he was with Willis, McGeeny, Harrington, and Johnson at Willis’ home after the Chiefs game “where they drank, smoked marijuana, and used cocaine.”
According to Zahnd, text messages on Harrington’s phone between the defendants, McGeeny, Johnson, and others allegedly showed Carson had supplied him with cocaine.
Investigators determined that, as early as 1:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 8, Harrington, McGeeny, and Johnson were alive. Willis, however, had gone to bed.
It wasn’t until 10 p.m. the next day that McGeeney’s fiance reported finding the body.
Willis told police he had no idea any of his friends were dead outside and that he hadn’t heard from any of their family members or friends.
Investigations revealed that different family members of the three men had messaged him through Facebook Messenger, but did not text or call him directly on the phone.
However, a friend’s attorney, Andrew Talge, countered this claim, saying that on the day the men were found, the friend had texted Willis after receiving messages from McGeeney’s fiance and Johnson’s mother. But Willis never responded.
Shortly after, FOX News reported that Willis moved out of the home and checked into a rehab facility.
Carson is currently in jail with a $100,000 cash bond while authorities have been told that Willis will surrender himself on the warrant issued for his arrest and post his $100,000 cash bond.
“This case is a tragic reminder of the dangers of street drugs,” Zahnd said. “But make no mistake, the people that supply those drugs can and will be held accountable when people overdose.”
