2 Men Charged With Manslaughter In Deaths Of 3 Kansas City Chiefs Fans Whose Dead Bodies Were Found In A Backyard

Alessio AtriaMarch 6, 2025, 5:12 pmNews >

Two men were charged with drug distribution and manslaughter in the deaths of the three Kansas City Chiefs fans, Ricky Johnson, David Harrington and Clayton McGeeney.

On Jan. 9, 2024, the three men were found dead at the home of their friend, Jordan Willis, an HIV research scientist. McGeeney’s fiancée, April Mahoney, first discovered them.

Two days earlier, the men first came to Willis’ home in the 5200 block of Northwest 83rd Terrace in the Platte County portion of Kansas City to watch a Chiefs game. Reports say Mahoney went to this residence to search for her fiancé after not hearing from him within those two days.

After knocking on the front door for ten minutes with no answer, she broke into the home. From an upstairs window, she spotted the frozen body of Harrington seated in a chair and called the police. When police arrived, Willis answered the door in his underwear while holding a glass of wine.

A medical examiner’s report mentioned that traces of cocaine and fentanyl were found in all the victim’s bodies, leading to their deaths. Willis asserted he was asleep for two days and had no idea his friends were outside.

On March 5, the Kansas City, Missouri, police department (KCPD) said that Willis and Ivory Carson “are each charged with distribution of a controlled substance and three counts of involuntary manslaughter.”

“Some people seemed to believe charges would never be brought in this case, perhaps because the investigation has spanned more than a year,” Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd. “Understand this: The Kansas City Police Department and my office do not rest on homicide cases until we have exhausted every possible resource to bring anyone we believe responsible to justice. Today’s charges are a testament to the hard work of Kansas City detectives over many months.”

“Though we often want answers immediately, great police work takes time,” Police Chief Stacey Graves stated. “Our detectives never stopped working on this case, waiting for all the facts. Today is a testament to their dedication, reflecting KCPD’s devotion to Kansas City.”

The update also notes that detectives received consent to search the home. They discovered two plastic bags which contained white powdery substances.

The Kansas City Police Crime Laboratory tested the bags. One bag contained cocaine, and Willis was determined to be a significant contributor of DNA found on that bag. The other bag was filled with fentanyl, and Carson was confirmed to be “a major contributor of the DNA on that bag.”

One witness stated he was at Harrington’s home on Jan. 7, 2024, where he found “a large plate of cocaine allegedly supplied by Willis they were using.”

“The witness said McGeeney, Harrington, and Johnson were going to Willis’ home after the football game,” the KCPD said in the update. “Another witness said he was with McGeeney, Harrington, Johnson, and Willis at Willis’ home on Jan. 7, where they drank, smoked marijuana, and used cocaine,” they added. “That witness left shortly before midnight.”

“Data recovered from Harrington’s phone contained text messages between Harrington, McGeeney, Johnson, Willis, Carson, and others consistent with the purchase and use of cocaine,” the police department said. “The messages allegedly indicated that Carson supplied Harrington with cocaine.”

A doctor with Forensic Medical of Kansas determined that McGeeney, Harrington and Johnson each died of fentanyl and cocaine combined toxicity.

“Willis is charged with distribution of cocaine,” the KCPD confirmed. “Carson is charged with distribution of fentanyl. Willis and Carson are each charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter for recklessly causing the deaths of McGeeney, Harrington and Johnson. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.”

Both men are being held in the Platte County Detention Center “in lieu of $100,000 bonds.”

“This case is a tragic reminder of the dangers of street drugs,” Zahnd declared. “But make no mistake, the people who supply those drugs can and will be held accountable when people overdose.”