DNA on handgun’s laser sight, extensive video led to murder charges against KC man

Robert A. Cronkleton
·2 min read

Extensive video evidence, and DNA on a laser sight found at the scene of a fatal August shooting, led to a murder charge against a 28-year-old Kansas City man, the Jackson County prosecutor announced Friday.

Prosecutors have charged Michael L. Finnell with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 26-year-old Antony D. Taylor, whose body was found inside a wrecked BMW that had crashed into a building at Benton Boulevard and Swope Parkway.

Based on their investigation, Kansas City detectives determined that Taylor had been in an altercation with his killer in the 4400 block of Indiana Avenue, which is where the mother of Taylor’s child lives. The shooting occurred just south of 46th Street and Indiana, according court documents. Police found multiple spent shell casings and a laser site to a hand gun in the intersection there.

Detectives allegedly were able to tie Finnell to the crime using surveillance video from homes and business in the area as well as on RideKC buses that traveled north and south on Indiana around the time of the shooting, according to court documents. Video from one of the buses recorded a black Mazda 6 in the area around the time of the shooting.

Additional video from the area captured the sound of multiple shots being fired. Several moments later, a dark sedan can be seen traveling north on Benton. Detectives also reviewed video from other cameras around the city to track the sedan. At 55th Street and Prospect Avenue, a license plate reader revealed the Mazda had Florida license plate, according to court documents.

The car had been rented to the grandfather of Finnell’s girlfriend, according to court documents. GPS data from the vehicle placed it in the area at the time of the shooting. Preliminary mapping of one of Finnell’s cell phone numbers is consistent with the GPS data and city camera times documented for the Mazda, according to court documents.

DNA found on the laser sight found at the scene of the shooting matched to Finnell, according to court documents. Social media posts also indicated that Finnell had planned to pick up food for the mother of Taylor’s child, which “provides reason for Finnell being at her house at the time of the homicide,” according to court documents.