Second brother charged in deadly Missouri crime spree

KSNF/KODE — The second of two brothers – accused of going on a crime spree where one man was killed and one woman was shot, is now charged in Jackson County.

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Prosecutors filed four charges against Jose Benitez, 20.

Those charges include first-degree assault, vehicle hijacking, and two counts of armed criminal action.

Just after five Tuesday evening, officers from the Independence, Missouri Police Department responded to an attempted carjacking.

Officers say Benitez had shot a woman. The woman was found lying on the ground next to a pickup truck and police say she had a gunshot wound to the left forearm and one in the chest. Independence Police say Benitez left the scene before they arrived.

According to the probable cause affidavit, IPD found one spent 9mm shell and one 9mm bullet on the ground near the pickup truck and say it appeared as if the woman was shot while still sitting in the driver's seat.

Just after that shooting, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department received reports about a prowler in a residential neighborhood. After a short foot pursuit, Benitez was arrested.

All of this comes after Benitez and his older brother, Adin Benitez, 26, were being sought in connection to a homicide in Joplin.

Around 5:30 p.m. on Monday, officers were called to an area near I-44 and Prigmore Avenue, to reports of a body in the ditch off I-44. That person was later identified as Jesse Gilmore, 63, of Oklahoma.

Jasper County authorities say the older brother walked up to Gilmore at the truck stop as he was sitting inside his car and shot him in the head.

Both brothers are said to be illegal immigrants from Honduras and are both being held on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold.

Earlier reports about one victim being pistol-whipped appear to have not actually happened.