Crime · Independence, MO
Man Accused of Killing Girlfriend at Independence Hospital Oct. 22
James F. Lawson was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Jessica Cyrus, who was fatally shot while visiting him at Centerpoint Medical Center on Oct. 22. Independence police responded to the hospital and found Cyrus dead with a gunshot wound to her chest. Investigators stated that surveillance footage showed Lawson in a wheelchair facing the victim as he appeared to reach for a weapon. Upon arrest, officers discovered a holster and ammunition in Lawson's wheelchair. A Jackson County judge set bond at $250,000 cash.