A 22-year-old man has been charged in connection with the two bodies found behind Sheffield Family Life Center Tuesday, August 6.

Mario Markworth faces two counts of second degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action.

KCPD officers responded to the 5700 block of Winner Road early Tuesday, around 6 a.m., in regards to an ambulance call.

The two victims were found and later identified as Michael F. McLin, 56, a black male, and Kevin E. Waters, 52, a white male.

According to court records filed today, the victims had several wounds from head trauma and sharp force.

Both were determined by police to be transients known to associate with others in the northeast area of Kansas City. Information from witnesses led police to the defendant who was taken into custody Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019.

Markworth told police detectives that he and McLin had been in an altercation. When McLin started to walk away, the defendant picked him up and dropped him on the pavement. Markworth said McLin hit his head on his axe. Then, the defendant said he struck the victim more times in the head with the axe so he wouldn’t tell anyone.

As he was trying to hide McLin’s shoes, he said he saw another man hidden along the fence line nearby. Markworth said he asked him if he had seen him and McLin, and then he struck him with an axe.

The defendant told detectives he had been raised in a Christian home and knew right from wrong. He also knew his actions were not right.

Markworth’s bond has been set at $250,000.