Five years ago today (04-26-05) at 3:00 in the afternoon 54 year old James L. Ellis of Harrisonville was shot multiple times while working in the 500 block of SE Lee Haven Drive in Lee’s Summit. Mr. Ellis was pronounced dead upon arrival to the hospital. A second worker was also seriously injured during the shooting but survived. Both Mr. Ellis and the second individual were in Lee’s Summit completing roofing work.
The initial information gathered from residents in the area indicated there were no witnesses to the actual shooting incident. Upon the sound of gunshots several residents reported looking outside and seeing two suspects flee the area on foot. They were described as two black males; the younger of the two was shorter and heavier-set wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, the older one thinner and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with some sort of yellow lettering or symbols on it. Both suspects ran southbound from the incident location through the housing complex.
For several days detectives continued to follow up leads which come into the station, while uniformed officers remained in the neighborhood hopeful of gaining further information at the crime scene to assist with the case. Officers stopped passing motorists and pedestrians handing out flyers containing suspect information and speaking with those who may have been in the area at the time of the shooting. Officers made over one-hundred contacts during the canvas but no profitable leads were gained. Detectives can only speculate the shooting was an unsuccessful street robbery as Mr. Ellis still had his personal possessions and money in his pocket.