Kansas City police believe they have found the body of the gunman suspected in a series of highway shootings, which occurred on Interstate 70 near Arrowhead Stadium, inside the flooded basement of a family member's home. The discovery was made Wednesday by family members more than a week after a standoff and fire at the Independence, Missouri, residence.
The suspect has been identified as Oscar Sanchez-Munoz, 22. He was wanted for a June 11 shooting in Wyandotte County, Kansas, and had an outstanding warrant for aggravated assault in the same county. The FBI had offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Sanchez-Munoz was the prime suspect in five shootings on June 16 along Interstate 70 in Kansas City, Missouri. These shootings resulted in one fatality, Jeremy Keenan, who died after being shot and crashing his car. Another victim sustained serious injuries, and an Uber driver was shot in the leg while transporting fans to a FIFA World Cup match.
Following the shootings, law enforcement tracked Sanchez-Munoz to the Independence home, leading to an hours-long standoff on June 16. The situation escalated when the house caught fire. Police initially believed Sanchez-Munoz had escaped during the blaze.
Discovery of the Body
Investigators, including K-9 units and Missouri State Fire Marshals, thoroughly searched the property after the fire was extinguished but were unable to locate Sanchez-Munoz. Kansas City Police Capt. Jake Becchina stated that the basement, flooded with several feet of water from the fire and filled with debris, was nearly impossible to search effectively.
"There was enough debris in there that you can not stand up. Piles. It was piles of things," Becchina said, describing it as one of the most congested basements he had encountered. The stairwell leading to the basement had also collapsed during the fire.
Family members returned to the home multiple times after the standoff. While sifting through the clutter, they noticed a smell of decomposition and located the remains, subsequently contacting the police. Becchina noted that the body was hidden under the debris and required significant effort to uncover.
Homicide detectives and the Jackson County Medical Examiner are now conducting a death investigation to confirm the identity of the body and the cause of death. The investigations are ongoing.
Sanchez-Munoz's mother and stepfather told NewsNation that their son had recently displayed signs of mental health issues, with his mother suggesting he might be suffering from schizophrenia. They reported attempting to have him admitted to a mental health facility, but he did not voluntarily commit himself. Keenan's mother expressed her grief but acknowledged that the suspect may have been struggling with mental health, hoping the incident would draw attention to the need for mental health support.