KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Marquise L. Webb, the Kansas City, Missouri, man who shot and killed an Amtrak passenger in Lee’s Summit in January 2022, pleaded guilty Friday to three felonies connected with Richie Aaron’s murder.
Webb pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, armed criminal action and a vehicle hijacking. He received a 28-year prison sentence.
Webb will serve consecutive sentences of 15 years for manslaughter, three years for the weapons offense and 10 years for the carjacking, according to the Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
He originally was charged Feb. 1, 2022, with second-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action, vehicle hijacking and unlawful use of a weapon.
Webb shot Aaron around 9 p.m. on Jan. 14, 2022, when the train stopped near Southeast 3rd and Southwest Main streets in Lee’s Summit, but the train did not stop until it had reached Independence.
Webb fled the train at the Lee’s Summit stop, while Aaron, a 30-year-old husband and father of two, was pronounced dead at the Independence Amtrak station, according to police.
Near the train station, Webb allegedly stole a vehicle at gunpoint.
A few weeks later, Webb pointed a gun at KCPD officers serving a warrant in the 1600 block Bushman Drive, which led to an hours-long standoff before he was arrested.
Aaron’s widow filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court against Amtrak and Webb on behalf of the couple’s children, alleging the passenger-train company’s lax security protocols and enforcement were a significant contributing factor to his death.
The lawsuit, which seeks more than $100 million in damages, also claims that no Amtrak employees responded to the sounds of shots to either stop the train or render aid.
The case is set for trial in January 2024, according to online court records.
—
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. Tips leading to an arrest made through the Tips Hotline may be eligible for up to a $25,000 reward.
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.
