KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Less than two weeks before Riley N. O’Laughlin was killed by an ex-boyfriend in a suspected murder-suicide, she filed a kidnapping report with the North Kansas City Police Department, according to an incident report obtained by KSHB 41 News.
John C. Hadley, 36, shot O’Laughlin, 27, then himself around 10 a.m. on May 5 in the 1100 block of Fayette Street in North Kansas City, according to police. Both were transported to a nearby hospital, where they died.
NKC police announced Monday the incident appeared to be a murder-suicide.
Police also referenced a third-degree kidnapping report O’Laughlin had filed, which was under investigation at the time of her murder.
O’Laughlin filed a report April 22 after going to the NKC Police Department along with a church representative she was living with.
She said the day before filing the report, Hadley showed up when she was leaving her employer, which is located at the same address where she was eventually killed, to go to the DMV.
O’Laughlin heard her name as she was approaching her car and soon realized the voice came from her ex-boyfriend, Hadley, who she had been involved with for two years.
The two had been living together until two months earlier when O'Laughlin broke up with Hadley.
As Hadley approached O’Laughlin, she noted he was high on mushrooms and acid. She got into the back seat of Hadley’s vehicle, a rental car with Florida tags, to check his well-being.
Once in the backseat with the door closed, Hadley climbed into the front seat and began driving toward a nearby interstate and headed north.
O’Laughlin told police that she clearly communicated that she wanted to be let out of the vehicle, but Hadley refused to let her go.
Instead, he tried to get her to take mushrooms with him “one last time," which she refused.
About five minutes into the drive, O’Laughlin said Hadley gave her a taser and told her “it was to make her feel safe.” But when she tried to use her phone in the backseat, he attempted to take it away, giving O’Laughlin bruises in the struggle.
When she attempted to use the taser, he took away her phone and engaged the vehicle’s child lock then drove several more hours to his family’s farm near Collins, Missouri.
While driving, O’Laughlin said Hadley took mushrooms about 30 minutes before arriving at the farm. She noted acid was also located in the car, but no weapons were present.
After arriving at the farm, Hadley allowed O’Laughlin to drive the rental car back to North Kansas City. It is unclear why he obtained a rental car in the first place.
When describing the experience, O’Laughlin told officers she felt unsafe during the first half of the ride. She also said Hadley was aware she was in the vehicle against her will.
O'Laughlin told police Hadley had shown up at her work one other time, about a month before the alleged kidnapping.
Court documents note that in her conversation with officers on April 22, O'Laughlin “signed an intent to pursue prosecution, consent to search waiver, filled out a victim statement and provided copies of the temporary order of protection."
It's unclear whether O'Laughlin ever filed for or received an order of protection before Hadley shot and killed her.
—
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.
