Kansas
Kansas City Chiefs fans deaths: 'Hard to see scenario where something unusual didn't happen,' lawyer says
An attorney representing the family of Clayton McGeeney, one of three Kansas City men found dead in freezing conditions after an NFL watch party, said his clients need to know whether there was any “intention or malice” in party host Jordan Willis’ behavior in the two days he didn’t report the bodies in his yard.
Tony Kagay told Fox News Digital he would “feel nothing but sympathy” if Willis was “blameless” in the deaths of McGeeney, Ricky Johnson and David Harrington, but Kagay said it would be “very hard to explain” how he could “not realize what happened to his friends” when they were “frozen in his backyard for two days.”
The friends were last seen alive inside Willis’ Northwest 83rd Terrace home after the Kansas City Chiefs’ win against the Los Angeles Chargers on Jan. 7. Although Kagay confirmed that drugs were detected in the men’s systems, according to preliminary toxicology results shared with their loved ones by police, he could not confirm which were found.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FANS FOUND DEAD IN FRIEND’S BACKYARD: WHAT TO KNOW
David Harrington, Clayton McGeeney and Ricky Johnson were found dead outside their friend’s Kansas City home on Jan. 9, 2024. (Ricky Johnson/Facebook)
“I think that … if Monday morning [Willis] had realized that his friends had expired overnight and he called 911, I don’t know that this would be a story,” Kagay said on Wednesday. “I don’t know if we’d be talking about it today; it would get a few days in the Kansas City market, and then it would fade away.”
Kagay said McGeeney’s mother, Nancy Bossert, and his fiancée, April Mahoney, attempted to reach McGeeney and then Willis over the two-day period when the men were missing. “Multiple people” in their “close-knit” group of friends that lived within a mile radius made calls and house calls in attempts to find them, Kagay said.
But their deaths weren’t reported until the evening of Jan. 9, when Kagay said Mahoney broke onto Willis’ property out of desperation and discovered one of the men’s bodies. The Kansas City Police Department would find two more bodies behind the home; video recorded by a neighbor shows Willis handcuffed in boxer shorts as police conducted their search.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FANS DEATHS: DRUGS IN MEN’S SYSTEMS SHOW ‘THERE’S MORE TO THE STORY,’ FAMILY SAYS
The family of Clayton McGeeney, pictured, is anxiously awaiting the results of the Kansas City Police Department’s investigation into his death, says his family’s attorney, Tony Kagay. (Facebook)
It is unclear exactly when or how they died. Kagay said “multiple personal items” belonging to the men that remained in Willis’ home after they died raise further questions.
“How does [Willis] not realize what has happened to his friends? That’s a big part of what the family wants to know,” Kagay said. “We may never have an answer to that, we just might not.”
“It’s very hard to see a scenario where something unusual didn’t happen,” he continued.
Kagay said there has been “disappointment” over the way the KCPD communicated with the press about the men’s deaths; the agency previously told Fox News Digital the deaths were “100 percent not being investigated as… homicides.”
PRELIMINARY TOXICOLOGY RESULTS BACK FOR KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FANS FOUND FROZEN TO DEATH
HIV scientist Jordan Willis, 38, checked himself into a rehab facility after his three friends were found dead in his backyard on Jan. 9, 2024. (GitHub)
“I don’t think they were in a position to say that. Clearly there is an ongoing investigation,” Kagay said. “I just don’t know how they made that determination and I don’t know that was helpful to say … when you say there was no sign of foul play, there was no gunshot, no stab wound, but it doesn’t mean that there wasn’t something that occurred was illegal. … I don’t know that was handled in the ideal manner.”
“I’m not saying that anybody did anything intentional,” Kagay said. “[But] I don’t think that it would be required for there to be criminal liability.”
“Regardless of who was responsible, the fact is that three young men who were in good health were celebrating with a friend, each other. They ended up dead,” Kagay said. “One of Nancy’s main concerns is that this not happen to anyone else in the future.”
The media attention that this case has received, Kagay said, has been a “double-edged sword” for his clients. On one hand, they want to “grieve in peace.” On the other, Kagay believes the attention can be used to “apply some gentle but effective pressure” on the KCPD and compel a more thorough investigation.
PARENTS OF KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FANS FOUND DEAD THINK VICTIMS ‘SAW SOMETHING THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE SEEN’
Family and friends of Clayton McGeeney, left, David Harrington, center, and Ricky Johnson are clamoring for answers after the three men inexplicably died in freezing temperatures outside their friend’s Kansas City home. (Facebook)
When full autopsy and toxicology reports are available and police complete their forensic investigation of electronic devices – at least two of the men’s families have been asked for their son’s phone passwords – the Platte County Prosecutor’s Office will decide whether criminal charges should be pressed against Willis or Alex Weamer-Lee, a fifth party guest who left the house alive on Jan. 7.
Last week, representatives from the families of Harrington, Johnson and McGeeney met with the prosecutor’s office. Kagay said “prosecutors wanted the family to know this situation was being investigated thoroughly” and that they would “cooperate with the families in the future.”
“There are still a lot of unanswered questions and understandable skepticism as far as an explanation for how this happened,” Kagay said. “There are attempts being made to resolve those questions.”
Kagay also said “some of the family have publicly expressed skepticism” about Willis’ announcement that he checked himself into an inpatient rehabilitation facility after his friends’ deaths.
“The timing could appear to a cynical person to be a bit suspect,” Kagay said. “On the other hand, he may have a substance abuse problem and [needed] to check into rehab.”
This view shows the backyard and porch of Jordan Willis’ home in Kansas City on Jan. 26, 2024. (DWS for Fox News Digital)
But although he said that only the results of the investigation can prove any culpability or lack thereof in the men’s deaths, Kagay’s criminal defense background compels him to wonder about the case in the interim.
“I really want to know where exactly their bodies were discovered. What were they wearing? What was in the house?” Kagay asked. “If there was drug use, was there a cleanup that occurred in those two days [before the bodies were discovered]? Was there paraphernalia in plain view when law enforcement arrived?”
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“A lot of these questions may never be answered in a way that makes people satisfied,” Kagay said.
But McGeeney’s family is patiently awaiting police findings until more information is released and “their position is that we don’t know if [an investigation was] done appropriately or inappropriately because we don’t know how it was done.”
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Colorado-based chicken restaurant Birdcall is expanding into Kansas.
The company announced Friday its plans to expand into Kansas and five other Midwestern states over the next five years. Birdcall plans to add six to eight fast-casual restaurants in Wichita and Topeka.
“The Midwest represents a tremendous opportunity for Birdcall,” CEO Mark Lohmann said. “From our award-winning chicken sandwiches and other handcrafted menu offerings to our commitment to innovation and community, we believe Birdcall offers an experience that resonates with today’s guests and is a natural fit for the region.”
Other locations announced are:
- Indiana – 10 to 15 restaurants across Indianapolis, Bloomington, Evansville and Fort Wayne
- Missouri – Up to 18 restaurants across St. Louis, Columbia, and Kansas City
- Nebraska – Seven to 10 restaurants across Omaha and Lincoln
- Ohio – Up to 20 restaurants across Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo
- Wisconsin – 10 to 15 restaurants across Milwaukee, Madison and Appleton
Birdcall’s menu features a variety of chicken sandwiches, chicken fingers and nuggets, salads, tater tots, fries, and more. The restaurant also makes its own in-house sauces and serves up draft beer and house-made margaritas, with happy hour specials.
The company said each restaurant will use self-service kiosks and occupy about 2,300 square feet, with indoor and outdoor seating that can serve up to 150 people.
Birdcall currently operates 17 restaurants across Colorado, Arizona and Texas.
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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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A video shared by a viewer, shows a resident speaking at the Osawatomie, Kansas City Council meeting being escorted out by police on Thursday evening.
The video shows a man holding a “Hell No Alcove” sign, while commenting about a blighted property, which according to public records is owned by Pacific Apartments, LLC, operating out of the same address as Alcove Development in Lawrence, Kansas.
KSHB 41
Alcove Development is behind the effort to build a $1 billion, 283-acre data center development in Osawatomie’s northland property.
The video, shared by a viewer, goes on the show two law enforcement officers approaching the individual, who is Lee Brewer, at the podium, after he begins to yell, while the crowd joins in behind him. Lee Brewer reached out to KSHB 41 late Thursday night, identifying himself as the person who was escorted out.
Osawatomie, Kansas Police Chief Dave Stutteville is seen in the video also approaching the man.
Fabian Rosales/KSHB
KSHB 41 Miami County Reporter Ryan Gamboa reached out to the Police Chief, City Manager, and Mayor Nick Hampson for comment late on Thursday night and is waiting on a response.
Residents in contact with Gamboa attending the meeting shared the meeting was still in session after 9:30 p.m.
Thursday night’s meeting was the city and Alcove Development’s attempt at sharing potential benefits of a data center for the community.
Gamboa has long covered the data center project in Osawatomie, Kansas — and neighbors to the project have voiced their opposition to the proposed development.
Brian Luton/KSHB
This is the first time Alcove Development has approached the public, but not the first time it has worked with the city of Osawatomie.
In late 2025, Alcove Development approached the city with the project and weeks later, a pre-development agreement was signed giving Alcove exclusive rights to the development for three years.
But city council meeting records from 2023 show, the city of Osawatomie entered into a pre-development agreement with Alcove Development to redevelop a property known as Old Swenson School.
Alcove Development had six months to asses the condition of the property and determine a course of action for redevelopment, and the overall agreement would last 18 months, according to public records.
Will Shaw/KSHB
The pre-development agreements states, Alcove would consider asking for tax breaks on the project, including utilizing the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
At the time, the property had sat in disrepair since 2016, according to the records, and was frequently found in violation of city code.
If the re-development were to fall through, the city would be on the hook to purchase the property from the developer for $25,000, with unclear total costs for infrastructure improvements.
KSHB 41
KSHB 41 will follow up on the status on this project at a later date.
Earlier this week, Miami County Reporter Ryan Gamboa, sat down with Donna Ingram who doesn’t live far from the data center site.
Ingram expressed her concerns about the amount of infrastructure that would be built to operate a data center, and how it might overtake the land around her home.
Ryan Gamboa/KSHB
She expressed concerns because the City of Osawtomie changed the public comment guidelines of a promise town hall with the developer.
“Watching this process play out is disheartening,” Ingram said in an interview on Monday. “A town hall was promised that didn’t come to fruition… I don’t believe it’s the definition. This is a city council meeting. We’re the ones that are gonna live next to it. We’re the ones that live in the path of the infrastructure.”
The city told KSHB 41 on Monday in a statement, they changed the format to prioritize the voices of city taxpayers, as county taxpayers have dominated the public comment periods over the past couple of months.
Brian Luton/KSHB
Mayor Nick Hampson also told Gamboa in an earlier interview he was hoping to have a productive “town hall” — instead, the first meeting with the public and the developer of the project was during a formal and regularly scheduled city council meeting.
The city also required residents to submit questions ahead of time, and the city would filter questions to the developer, while limiting public comment to three minutes.
“We have been and will continue to hear from the residents that are in the county and closest to this project,” Hampson told KSHB 41 in an email on Monday.
Miami County, Kansas
Residents shared a record to KSHB 41, submitted to the city for a formal investigation into 1009 Pacific Avenue in Osawatomie, which is owned by a company operating out of Alcove Development’s address.
The dilapidated property is the a former school house, that sits with broken windows, and other parts of the building breaking down.
The Miami County Republic reporting on Thursday, the city launched an investigation into the building.
Ryan Gamboa/KSHB
Residents cite the buildings deteriorating condition and potential danger to the public, and lack of property maintenance.
Lee Brewer issued a comment regarding the incident at Thursday night’s meeting, stating he was escorted out after the Mayor closed public comment, and he was not on the list.
Brewer told KSHB 41, he has a time -stamped email of pre-submitted questions ahead of the meeting. KSHB 41 asked Brewer to review the email, and is waiting for an answer.
I am severely disappointed in our Mayor and the city council. They told us we were required to send in an email with our questions and our address to prove we were citizens of the town by Wednesday the 24th at noon. I have my email which is timestamped at 10:26 a.m. Wednesday the 24th. They shut me down and first told me I didn’t put the email in and then once I was kicked out of there I was told by people coming out that they were told I turned in my email too late. I’m not a math teacher but last time I looked at my clock 10:26 a.m. falls just over an hour and a half before noon. I mean correct me if I’m wrong. I thought because the mayor and I were having decent conversations on Facebook Messenger, whereas I would ask him questions and he would answer to the best of his ability. And I would thank him I thought we were pretty cordial. So to basically call me a liar in front of the entire town on video recording, take away my freedom of speech My first amendment right, and have me removed from a public building was completely wrong I am very disappointed in our city council and mayor. When I approached the podium all I was trying to do was point out that resolution number 1169 in Osawatomie Kansas refers to Alcove development LLC being the owner of the old Swenson School at 1009 Pacific. As I pointed out in these earlier messages to you Alcove has left this building dilapidated in ruins and a danger to our community. Our great city council and mayor seem to have other plans for me being able to speak though.
Lee Brew, via Facebook to KSHB 41 News
KSHB 41 reached out to Alcove Development late on Thursday night, and is waiting on a response.
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Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify information about cleanup information.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A tanker transporting 8,000 gallons of ethanol crashed in El Dorado on Thursday.
It happened at the intersection of Kansas Avenue and South Main Street.
According to dispatch, the vehicle overturned, causing the fluid to leak out and spill into the storm sewer system.
City Manager David Dillner said traffic is being diverted in the area while crews work to clean up the ethanol.
Nearby residents have been evacuated to the El Dorado Civic Center due to the pungent smell of the fuel, Dillner said.
No injuries have been reported.
This is a developing story.
For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here.
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