KANSAS CITY, MO – A Missouri man is facing murder charges, accused of fatally shooting his parents in their motel room amid suspicions that his mother had taken his money. Jason C. Sessoms, 20, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder following the deaths of Marvin Sessoms, 42, and Maleeka Sessoms, 38.
The couple was found dead from gunshot wounds at an Extended Stay motel in Kansas City early Friday morning.
Law enforcement tracked down Jason Sessoms in Paw Paw, Michigan, about 600 miles from the crime scene, later that same day. Initially detained on unrelated charges of home invasion by Michigan authorities, Sessoms was later charged with murder in Missouri.
A key piece of evidence, according to the affidavit, was testimony from Sessoms’ 10-year-old brother, who claimed his older sibling was responsible for the killings. Surveillance footage from the motel reportedly shows the brothers packing a Mitsubishi vehicle and leaving shortly after the incident, though it’s unclear if the younger boy directly witnessed the shootings.
Family members later told investigators that the Sessoms family was en route to Georgia to see Marvin’s sister when they decided to return to Kansas City to retrieve the younger boy’s laptop.
The sister, who expressed concern when unable to contact them, eventually filed a missing persons report. This report played a significant role in the discovery of the bodies and unraveling of events.
Authorities also learned of paranoia within the family, reportedly resulting from Jason Sessoms’ belief that someone had put out a hit on him, prompting their initial sudden journey to Georgia.
Post-arrest, Jason Sessoms initially denied involvement, suggesting an unidentified “tall and buff” Hispanic man was to blame. However, he later confessed, citing his suspicion that his mother had used his money to pay for the motel as the motive behind his actions.
Currently, Jason Sessoms is held at the Van Buren County Correctional Facility in Michigan, pending extradition to Missouri. His bond has been set at $2 million. As the case progresses, more details may emerge regarding the dynamics within the family and the circumstances leading up to this tragic event.