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Clay County jury finds man not guilty of first degree murder in 2019 shooting death

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Clay County jury returned not guilty verdicts Thursday on first degree murder and armed criminal action charges against Colton Stock in a May 2019 shooting death.

Stock, 33, of KCMO, was accused of shooting and killing Matthew Calkins, 35, of Gardner, Ks.

The jury however did find Calkins guilty of tampering with evidence in a felony prosecution and abandonment of a corpse, according to a spokesman at the Clay County Prosecutor's Office.

The jury was deliberating Stock's sentence on that charge as of 5 p.m. Thursday.

Stock asked two men to come over to his Northland house in early May 2019, to help move furniture.

One of the men told KSHB 41 after the murder he got uncomfortable in Stock's presence and decided to leave.

A second man stayed, but told KSHB Stock jumped him in the basement, but he managed to get out of the house.

The man said Stock fired a gunshot at him, but luckily missed.

KCMO police officers were called to the house after the gunfire and found the house on fire.

Firefighters found Calkins body in the basement, according to previous reporting after Calkins' death.

For jurisdictions that utilize the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline, anonymous tips can be made by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com.

Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.