By Paul Thompson

Northeast News

July 29, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – A 31-year-old Kansas City, Kansas man has been charged in the shooting death of a woman on Thursday, July 28, on the 2500 block of Independence Avenue.

Derrick A. Williams (pictured below) faces a total of seven charges related to the death of 32-year-old Denise Gayle: Murder in the 2nd Degree, three counts of Armed Criminal Action, and three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. A Probable Cause Statement released by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office on the evening of July 28 revealed the disturbing details of the alleged crime.

Police initially received a call at 5:08 a.m. on the morning of July 28, after a resident of the Stonewall Court apartment complex reported the sound of 8-9 gunshots accompanied by screaming. When police arrived at the scene, they encountered a naked black male showing symptoms of narcotic use. The man identified himself as Derrick Williams.

“If you go upstairs, there’s a dead (expletive) up in there and I blew her (expletive) brains out,” Williams told authorities. “There’s three kids in there.”

Police secured the man and started to approach the apartment building in question. Before reaching the residence, a witness stopped the officers and told them that the naked man had just thrown a gun at him. The witness pointed officers to an semi automatic handgun with an extended clip. Once leading officers to the gun, the witness pointed officers to the second-story apartment where he believed the naked man had come from.

As police made their way to the apartment, they observed bullet holes outside of the residence, as well as across the hall. Upon entering the residence, officers encountered three small children hiding under a blanket. One of the children stated, “He killed my mom.” Officer’s found spent shell casings, men’s clothing, and the victim’s body as they cleared the rest of the residence. The victim was found deceased in the bathroom. After clearing the area, the officers left the apartment with the children in tow and cleared the scene.

One of the children had sustained a head injury, and told authorities while he was receiving medical treatment that “Derrick hit me with the gun.” While being interviewed, another one of the children that authorities that after the suspect killed her mother, he put the gun in her mouth.

Due to his suspected drug intoxication, the suspect was brought to a local hospital. After being medically cleared, he was transferred to a police facility. His identity was later confirmed, but due to his intoxication, police had not yet obtained a statement at the time the Probable Cause Statement was released.

The Prosecutor’s office requested a bond of $300,000.