Kansas City, Missouri (WDAF) — Two men have been charged in connection with the deaths of three Kansas City Chiefs fans who were discovered dead in a home’s backyard over a year ago.
On Jan. 9, 2024, a woman called Kansas City Police to a Northland home, claiming to have discovered a dead body in the backyard while searching for her fiance, 36-year-old Clayton McGeeney.
When police arrived at the house, Jordan Willis allegedly let them in, but never opened the door for McGeeney’s fiancee.
Police discovered three bodies in the backyard, identified as McGeeney, 37-year-old David Harrington, and 38-year-old Ricky Johnson.
Investigations revealed that two days earlier, the three men had gone to their friend Willis’ house to watch the Chiefs’ final regular season game of 2024.
However, over the next 48 hours, the men would remain silent, leaving family and friends concerned. Since the incident, law enforcement has provided very few updates.
According to court documents released Wednesday, Willis and Ivory J. Carson have been charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance. Each charge carries a maximum of ten years in prison.
While Willis has long been linked to the investigation because the incident occurred at his rental home, Carson was 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 from Forensic Medical of Kansas, confirmed Wednesday that the three men died from fentanyl and cocaine combined toxicity.
That is consistent with toxicology reports released nearly a month after McGeeny, Harrington, and Johnson were discovered dead. At the time, sources told Nexstar’s WDAF that the report listed several substances found in the men’s bodies, including cocaine and fentanyl.
According to Zahnd, detectives “found two plastic bags containing white powdery substances.” One of the bags that tested positive for cocaine also contained Willis’ DNA, he added. The contents of the second tested positive for fentanyl, and DNA from Carson was discovered on the bag, according to Zahnd.
A witness told investigators that he was at Harrington’s house 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 stated.
Another witness allegedly told investigators that he was with Willis, McGeeny, Harrington, and Johnson at Willis’ house 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 revealed that Carson had provided him with cocaine.
Investigators determined that Harrington, McGeeny, and Johnson were still alive as of 1:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 8. Willis had, however, retired to bed.
McGeeney’s fiance reported finding the body at 10 p.m. the next day.
Willis told police that he had no idea any of his friends had died outside and had not heard from any of their family or friends.
Investigations revealed that the three men’s family members messaged him on Facebook Messenger but did not text or call him directly.
However, Andrew Talge, a friend’s attorney, refuted this claim, stating that on the day the men were discovered, the friend texted Willis after receiving messages from McGeeney’s fiance and Johnson’s mother. But Willis never replied.
Shortly after, FOX News reported that Willis had left the house and entered a rehabilitation facility.
Carson is currently in jail on a $100,000 cash bond, and 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 says. “But make no mistake, the people that supply those drugs can and will be held accountable when people overdose.”
