Chris Wells

Christopher Cole Wells, a 41-year-old White man known to friends and family as Chris, was a devoted husband, a protective father of four, and a pillar of his Kansas City, Missouri, community. Described as dependable and always willing to lend a hand, he had worked for 12 years at Bayer, where his colleagues became like family. His life was defined by his love for his wife, Kirsten, and their children, and his unwavering loyalty to his friends.

A long-running and escalating dispute with a neighbor shattered the peace of his Northland neighborhood on the morning of January 12, 2026. That day, Chris’s wife was walking their dog when she saw their neighbor, 42-year-old Jeffrey King, toss a blanket onto their property. Due to a history of harassment that had resulted in a no-contact order, she went inside and called Chris at work. When Chris arrived home, he went to confront King. A physical altercation began, and according to court documents citing surveillance footage, Chris punched King in the head before multiple gunshots were heard.

Chris Wells was found lying in the street on Northeast 78th Street, having suffered what investigators later determined were 13 gunshot defects to his front and back. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Two juvenile witnesses told police they saw King stand over Chris and shoot him in the back while he was lying facedown on the ground.

Kansas City police arrived at 7:37 a.m. and took Jeffrey King into custody. King reportedly told a witness, “He attacked me. Punched me in the face and I shot him dead.” During a search of King’s home, police found handwritten notes referencing Chris, along with numerous firearms. Among the weapons were 16 9mm handguns, the same caliber as the eight spent casings recovered at the scene.

Prosecutors charged Jeffrey King with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. At his initial court appearance, King pleaded not guilty to the charges and was ordered held on a $5 million bond. His attorneys later suggested that a “stand your ground” self-defense claim might be part of his defense. As of March 2026, the case against King remained pending litigation.