A Wyandotte County District Court judge has dismissed murder charges against three persons who were charged in the death of Machole Stewart.
The three, Tommy Benson, Cedric Sanders and Donald Martis, are expected to be released from the Wyandotte County Jail, according to the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s office.
Ten-year-old Machole Stewart was killed in a drive-by shooting on Oct. 26, 2014, in the 1400 block of New Jersey in Kansas City, Kansas. She was inside her mother’s house at the time of the shooting.
The DA’s office did not ask for the charges to be dropped.
The DA’s office released this statement today: “We respectfully accept the judge’s decision in this case. Our duty is to pursue justice. It should be noted our justice system is only as strong as the community it serves. It is our hope the community comes forward with additional information and be willing to come to court. Our office, in collaboration with the police department, will continue to pursue justice for Machole Stewart and victims of any crime in Wyandotte County.”