Prosecutors say Kansas City man rented hotel room with victim before shooting him
A 28-year-old from Kansas City is facing second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges after fatally shooting a man inside a hotel room, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Makail Rogers is accused of killing Carl Stewart Tuesday after the two checked into a hotel room at the Days Inn & Suites by Wyndam at 8601 Hillcrest Road, according to documents filed in Jackson County Circuit Court.
Rogers’ charges follow an alleged shootout between him and officers, in which police claim Rogers attempted to flee after killing the victim. Kansas City Police Department spokeswoman Donna Drake said no one was injured during the police shootout.
The morning Stewart was found, a witness at the hotel told detectives that, just before 5 a.m. Tuesday, he heard a disturbance coming from room 102. After someone inside told him to open the door, he found two men struggling inside. The witness recognized them as having checked in together the night before.
The witness shut the door, heard gunshots, and called 911, court documents indicate.
Officers entered the room and found Stewart lying face-down on a mattress that had been removed from the box spring. They noted the victim had wounds on the back of his neck and front of his body.
First-responders declared Stewart dead at the scene.
Video surveillance captures Rogers falling out of the room’s window before firing into the victim’s vehicle and rummaging around inside, prosecutors say. Rogers does not appear to take anything before attempting to enter the room again several times.
He is last seen exiting a side door of the hotel, where officers began to pursue him on foot.
In his interview with police, Rogers said he had rented a hotel room for himself and Stewart around 10 p.m. that evening. He claimed he awoke to the victim “man-handling” him in a sexual nature at gunpoint.
According to prosecutors, Rogers told detectives Stewart fired four shots while standing over him, missing each time. Rogers said he was able to disarm Stewart before grabbing hold of the gun and firing several shots and leaving the room.
On his way out, Rogers said he encountered police and did not fire, but complied with their orders to lie on the ground. He said he didn’t remember if police fired at him because he was “out of it.”
