Sunday shooting claims life of 79-year-old Kansas City woman

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A 79-year-old Kansas City woman was shot Sunday night inside her car and died, according to police.

According to Capt. Jake Becchina, a spokesman for KCPD, Kansas City police officers responded to reports of a shooting at the intersection of East 51st Street and Park Avenue in the Blue Hills neighborhood around 9:45 p.m. Sunday.

Officers found Ella Monroe, 79, unconscious in a car at an intersection with gunshot wounds. Monroe was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries; police were notified Wednesday morning that she had died, according to Becchina.

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Monroe’s death is currently being investigated as a homicide. KCPD officers are offering up to $25,000 for information sent anonymously to 816-474-TIPS.

Monroe was the 78th person murdered in Kansas City in 2024, according to data collected by The Star. She is the oldest homicide victim identified in the city this year, according to the Star.

As is typical, most of the 105 homicides in the Kansas City area this year were shootings.

Ilana Arougheti (she/they) is a news reporter for the Kansas City Star. She graduated from Northwestern University, where she studied journalism, sociology, and gender studies. Ilana has previously written for the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and Raleigh News & Observer. Contact us with questions or tips!
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