Jordan Willis and Ivory “Blade” Carson have each been charged with three counts of second-degree felony murder in connection with the deaths of three Kansas City Chiefs fans whose bodies were found in Willis’s backyard more than a year ago. The men also face charges of distributing a controlled substance, according to court documents filed June 27 in Platte County Circuit Court.
Prosecutors allege that Willis, 39, provided the drugs that killed Clayton McGeeney, 36, David Harrington, 37, and Ricky Johnson, 38, following a football watch party in January 2024. Carson is accused of supplying additional drugs in the weeks leading up to the incident.
All three victims died from a combination of fentanyl and cocaine toxicity, authorities say.
Under Missouri law, anyone who causes a death during the commission of a separate felony—such as drug distribution—can be charged with felony murder, even if the death was not intentional.
Willis’s attorney, John Picerno, told PEOPLE that his client rejected a plea deal and maintains he is not responsible for the deaths.
“In 30 years of practice, I’ve never seen felony murder used like this,” Picerno said, describing the prosecution’s approach as highly unusual. “Jordan has said from the beginning that he’s not guilty and never considered pleading.”
Picerno also said both Willis and Carson were initially charged only with drug distribution and were offered a plea deal that would have capped their prison time at 10 years. Both declined, and felony murder charges followed.
According to charging documents, the three victims had gathered at Willis’s Kansas City rental home on January 7, 2024, to watch a Chiefs-Chargers game. When they didn’t return home, loved ones grew concerned. On January 9, McGeeney’s fiancée forced entry into the home and discovered the bodies in the backyard.
Carson’s attorney has not publicly responded to the upgraded charges.
Picerno plans to ask the court to try Willis separately from Carson, arguing that evidence presented against Carson would unfairly influence jurors against his client.
“This is a smaller jurisdiction, and I think there was pressure from the families to bring murder charges,” Picerno said. “Prosecutors had previously told me Carson was the primary target. This case was cold for a while, and now it’s suddenly a homicide case.”
Willis is currently out on bond and is facing four civil wrongful death lawsuits, which have now been consolidated into one case, including a suit filed by the mother of one of the victim’s children.
“This has been incredibly overwhelming,” a family member of Willis told PEOPLE. “We never expected it to come to this. Jordan being charged the same way as a known drug dealer is absurd. He’s doing his best to stay hopeful that the truth will come out.”
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for late July.
