On the night of August 17, 2017, 33-year-old Christopher L. King was shot once in the chest and died outside a home in the 1500 block of South Pearl Street in Independence, Missouri. Independence Police arrived just before 11:00 p.m.; King walked back toward the house after being shot and collapsed, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators say the shooting began during a dispute over a vehicle. A neighbor had asked an acquaintance to help retrieve a car parked in the driveway. The acquaintance, identified as 51-year-old Patrick L. Barkwell of Sugar Creek, remained in his vehicle; when King approached the driver’s side, Barkwell allegedly produced a .22-caliber Ruger revolver and fired one shot. Barkwell fled north on Missouri Highway 291 and reportedly tossed the firearm into the Missouri River.

Police located Barkwell at his Sugar Creek home soon after. He reportedly made spontaneous statements expressing regret and saying he did not intend to kill King. Prosecutors in Jackson County charged Barkwell with second-degree murder and armed criminal action; witnesses identified him and his vehicle matched the one seen leaving the scene. Does anyone have information about King, the dispute, or the events that night?