KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Four teenagers are accused of killing a Chinese food delivery driver for money to party with.
The suspects were in juvenile court Tuesday.
Benjamin McReynolds, Brandon McReynolds, Brandon Johnson and Cortez Ennis are charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and aggravated battery. They range in age from 14 to 17. The youngest was allegedly found with bloody money in his pockets.
Zhihai Cui, 42, worked for the New Town China Buffet. He was found stabbed to death Friday night. He was new to the area and had no family in town.
Wyandotte County prosecutors said the four teenagers ordered food from the restaurant and had it delivered to a vacant house, where Cui was ambushed and killed. The motive, according to prosecutors, was to pay admission to a party at the Armory and to buy marijuana and alcohol.
Investigators said that they found the rest of money, still covered in blood, in the pockets of one of the suspects when he was taken into custody the next day.
Prosecutors said that they will push for the teens to be tried as adults.
"Someone's dead. I think the facts will show he was stabbed multiple times. Does it matter if they are 8, 18 or 80? You're still a danger to other individuals out on the street," prosecutor Jerome Gorman said.
The judge found sufficient evidence to keep all four juveniles behind bars, ruling that they could not be released back to their families.
The suspects were in juvenile court Tuesday.
Benjamin McReynolds, Brandon McReynolds, Brandon Johnson and Cortez Ennis are charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and aggravated battery. They range in age from 14 to 17. The youngest was allegedly found with bloody money in his pockets.
Zhihai Cui, 42, worked for the New Town China Buffet. He was found stabbed to death Friday night. He was new to the area and had no family in town.
Wyandotte County prosecutors said the four teenagers ordered food from the restaurant and had it delivered to a vacant house, where Cui was ambushed and killed. The motive, according to prosecutors, was to pay admission to a party at the Armory and to buy marijuana and alcohol.
Investigators said that they found the rest of money, still covered in blood, in the pockets of one of the suspects when he was taken into custody the next day.
Prosecutors said that they will push for the teens to be tried as adults.
"Someone's dead. I think the facts will show he was stabbed multiple times. Does it matter if they are 8, 18 or 80? You're still a danger to other individuals out on the street," prosecutor Jerome Gorman said.
The judge found sufficient evidence to keep all four juveniles behind bars, ruling that they could not be released back to their families.
