KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A 15-year-old Overland Park girl pleaded no contest Thursday in Johnson County Juvenile Court in connection to a 2022 murder case that allegedly happened after a botched marijuana deal.
The girl, whose name KSHB 41 is not publishing because she is a minor, had been charged in juvenile court with first-degree murder in the May 14, 2022, shooting death of Marco Cardino in Black Bob Park in Olathe.
The charge was amended to aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. She is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 30 in juvenile court.
Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe told KSHB 41 after the murder the shooting probably stemmed from a marijuana purchase gone wrong.
Olathe police found Cardino, 19, of Smithville, Missouri, dead from multiple gunshot wounds after being dispatched to the park on West 151st Street after reports of the sounds of gunshots.
Seven teenagers have been charged in Cardino's murder.
Six teens — four 14-year-olds and two 13-year-olds — were initially charged with first-degree murder. A seventh teen was charged in August 2022.
Two of the teen boys already pleaded guilty, one in July 2022 and one in August 2022, to an amended charge of second-degree intentional murder in juvenile court. Both received an extended juvenile sentence and will remain jailed until 22 1/2 years old.
The 17-year-old pleaded guilty to aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and distributing marijuana in January 2023.
One of the 14-year-old boys, Jacobi Epting, has been charged as adult and faces one count of first-degree murder, one count of attempted aggravated robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery in Johnson County District Court.
Epting, 15, is scheduled to be in court Sept. 20 for a scheduling conference. KSHB 41 is using his name, even though he's a minor, because he's been charged as an adult.
Epting's bond has been set at $1 million.
The two 13-year-olds were charged exclusively in juvenile court and their records are sealed.
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