SHAWNEE COUNTY— A Kansas teen arrested this week for the cold case murder of an 18-year-old Topeka girl has been charged in the case.
On Thursday, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay filed murder charges against 19-year-old Javon Amond Smith, in Shawnee County District Court, in the 2017 Cold Case homicide of 18-year-old Kianna Hodge.
Just after 11:30 p.m. March 4, law enforcement responded to the area of 23rd Street and SE Belleview in Topeka in response to reported gunshots.
Shortly thereafter, law enforcement was dispatched to Reser’s near 6th and SE Deer Creek in response to two shooting victims arriving at that location in a gold Ford Focus. Kianna Hodge, one occupant of the Focus, died as the result of her gunshot injuries.
As law enforcement was responding to both scenes, a second vehicle, a Chevy Traverse, carrying three additional shooting victims was located. The investigation revealed that occupants of both vehicles had been struck by gunfire from the same incident. A suspect on foot had shot into both vehicles as they passed through the intersection of 23rd Street and SE Belleview. Law enforcement located 53 shell casings at the intersection, all 7.62 caliber, according to Kagy.
Kagay announced that Smith, who was a juvenile at the time he committed the crimes, has now been charged with 8 felony offenses related to the cold case: Murder in the First Degree, Premeditated (Off-Grid Felony); Murder in the First Degree, Committed During an Inherently Dangerous Felony (Off-Grid Felony); two counts of Criminal Discharge of a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle (Level 3 Felonies); Aggravated Battery, Great Bodily Harm (Level 4 Felony); and three counts of Aggravated Battery (Level 7 Felonies).
Smith is being held without bond until his detention hearing in juvenile court, Monday. Kagay said that his office has already begun the process of seeking authority to prosecute Smith as an adult for this case. He is facing other adult prosecutions for offenses he committed as a juvenile in Shawnee County District Court Cases.