In the early morning hours of Monday, March 8, 2021, Tomas Galvan Jr. was found in a motel room at the Executive Inn and Suites on East U.S. 40 Highway in Independence, Missouri, suffering a gunshot wound to the head. He was discovered behind a partially open door in a pool of blood and was taken to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Investigators say Galvan had contacted two acquaintances earlier that morning for a ride; the three men were in the room when a dispute over a stolen air compressor turned violent and firearms were produced. Witness statements and court records say Galvan tried to grab a weapon and was shot. Before fleeing, the attackers took some of Galvan’s belongings, including his shoes and cell phone.

Surveillance footage tied the suspects to a vehicle that led police to 26-year-old Steven T. Decker of Independence; a second suspect was identified as 29-year-old Tyler Russell of Lee’s Summit. Both were charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and armed criminal action and held on $100,000 cash-only bonds.

Did anyone know Galvan’s movements that night or see the vehicle leaving the motel?