A Grandview woman is facing multiple felony charges for her alleged role in a March shooting in Kansas City that left multiple injured and one dead.
Maya Ward, 31, was charged with first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and two counts of armed criminal action after she and her fiancé, Daniel Brown, 36, allegedly robbed 42-year-old Terrance Blewett, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Blewett was shot during the exchange and died days later.
Kansas City police announced Wednesday that the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office had ruled Blewett’s death a homicide.
Officer Donna Drake, a spokeswoman with the Kansas City Police Department, said the ruling took so long because Jackson County medical examiners wanted to complete the full autopsy to ensure “other underlying medical conditions” were not the cause of death.
At 1 p.m. on March 2, officers were called to the 5800 block of East 100th Street and found Blewett and another victim, identified in court documents as “PRB,” suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were transported to the hospital in critical condition, Drake said.
Minutes later, officers were called to East 98th Terrace and Hillcrest Road, and found Ward and Brown inside a vehicle. Brown was suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest. Emergency medical services transported Brown to the hospital, and officers took Ward into police custody.
PRB told police Ward and Brown had knocked on the door of the residence they were inside that afternoon, and Blewett told him to let them in. Once the two entered, PRB said they pointed guns at Blewett and asked where his money was. After Blewett gave them an unknown amount of money, the two inquired about his safe. When he refused to answer, Brown shot him, PRB said in a police statement.
When Ward and Brown fled, Blewett allegedly fired at them. Prosecutors believe Blewett hit Brown, according to court documents.
Ward allegedly admitted to detectives that he pointed a gun at Blewett and took his money. Another witness reported seeing the two attempting flee the home after hearing gunshots.
Brown has not been charged in the incident as of Wednesday afternoon, but additional charges are under review for both co-defendants following the homicide ruling, according to Mike Mansur, a spokesman with the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Ward remains in Jackson County custody. Her bail has been set at $75,000.