Platte County Prosecutor charges man in family homicide case from Feb. 2

The Platte County Prosecuting Attorney released information related to the homicide case in the 4100 block of Northwest 65th Street on Sunday, Feb. 2. 

According to a media release sent to News-Press NOW from the Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd on Monday, Feb. 3:

"A man has been charged with three counts of first degree murder, assault in the first degree, four counts of armed criminal action, and animal abuse after he allegedly shot and killed a family and their dog in Platte County around midnight on February 2."

The man, Armando Navarro, Jr., was taken into custody in Abilene, Kansas after he allegedly fled the scene in a vehicle that belonged to one of the victims, according to the media release. 

"This crime is horrific—clearly among the worst I’ve prosecuted in more than two decades. Three women are dead, and a surviving victim lost her mother, grandmother, and sister," Zahnd said. "My prayers are with the entire family, and we will utilize the full weight of Missouri law to bring this defendant to justice.”

According to the Kansas City Police Department, the police reported to the 4100 block of Northwest 65th Street at 12:41 a.m. on Feb. 2 after a person had called 911 and reported that "a woman had knocked on her door saying that her mother's ex-boyfriend had shot her mother and shot at her."

Officers at the scene found three female victims with gunshot wounds inside of a residence. The Kansas City Fire Department confirmed that the three women were deceased and also discovered that a dog had been shot dead. 

The survivor told KCPD that herself, her mother, sister and grandmother lived at the residence. She added that Navarro, her mother's boyfriend also lived at the residence.

The victim reported that before the shooting, her mother and Navarro were arguing and that as she was going to bed she heard her mother yelling. 

The surviving victim went out of her room and heard her mother telling Navarro to leave, Navarro stated that he did not want to leave, the mother and Navarro argued for about an hour and the mother again told Navarro to leave, his response was that he had nowhere to go.

The grandmother came upstairs and everyone sat around the kitchen table, Navarro plead with the mother to allow him to stay. Navarro began going back and forth from his room to the kitchen, the victim believed he was gathering his belongings. 

Navarro allegedly came out of his room with a small handgun and started shooting at them, the mother was shot in her upper arm and then Navarro ran out of bullets. 

The survivor ran to her mother and Navarro allegedly grabbed a knife. The mother shielded the survivor with her own body. 

Navarro left and returned with a larger gun, he held it under his chin as if he was going to shoot himself as the mother was trying to escape out the door and Navarro shot her in the face.

The survivor reported that her grandmother had been shot and was staring at the ceiling, motionless, the victim's sister told her to get out of the house and Navarro shot the sister and shot at the victim.

The survivor said she felt something hit her hair and saw some hair on the floor, showing KCPD where her hair was damaged.

The survivor ran from the house and hid at a nearby address, she heard Navarro calling her name, then heard a vehicle and saw her mother's vehicle leaving. 

Navarro allegedly fled the scene in a white 2020 Ford Expedition with a California license plate issued to one of the victims, the vehicle was located in Abilene, Kansas. 

Detectives with KCPD contacted the Dickinson County Sheriff's Department regarding the vehicle and Deputies stated they had contacted the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle who stated he was waiting on a tow truck.

Deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol went back to the scene and arrested Navarro who was alleged armed with a revolver containing five spend shell casings. 

Additionally, a man claiming to be Navarro's son contacted KCPD asking the police to check on the victims, stating that his father called him at 2 a.m. and said he had "killed them all."

The decedents are Jodie Hopkus, 49, Sherri Duncan, 73 and Hailey Hopkus, age 24.

Navarro is being held without bond.

Zahnd stated that the three first degree murder charges carry a minimum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, he added that he may seek the death penalty after consulting with the survivor and reviewing the case facts.

The crime is being investigated by KCPD and being prosecuted by Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd, First Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Mark Gibson and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Blake Sherer.