Inset left: Rasheed Turner (Jackson County Sheriff’s Office). Inset right: Layla Freeman (Obituary). Background: The intersection where Turner killed Freeman in Kansas City, Mo. (Google Maps).
A Missouri man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for shooting and killing his ex‑girlfriend after luring her to a meeting on her 21st birthday, Show‑Me State officials announced.
In August, a Jackson County jury found 26‑year‑old Rasheed Turner guilty of first‑degree murder and armed criminal action for the May 2025 death of 21‑year‑old Layla Freeman.
On Wednesday, Jackson County Circuit Judge Adam Caine sentenced Turner to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder charge and added a consecutive 15‑year term for the armed criminal action.
The fatal incident occurred on May 13, 2025, near the corner of West 37th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Kansas City.
Police arrived at the scene that night and discovered Freeman with multiple gunshot wounds, bleeding heavily beside a parked Chevrolet Malibu.
A preliminary police report, obtained by Kansas City‑based Fox affiliate WDAF, indicated that the victim “had an interaction with one or more suspects” that led to the deadly shots.
Turner was taken into custody on May 28, 2025.
Witnesses did not see the shooting but heard the gunfire and Freeman’s screams. They reported that, immediately after the shots, a man exited the Malibu and sprinted to the driver’s side of a Ford Mustang.
City surveillance cameras captured the Mustang, allowing detectives to trace it back to the suspect. Investigators also examined social‑media posts and text messages exchanged between Turner and Freeman before the violence.
Police determined that Freeman’s birthday indirectly contributed to the tragedy, WDAF reported.
Freeman’s cousin told investigators she had FaceTimed Layla hours before the shooting. During that call, the cousin learned that Layla and her eventual killer had arranged to meet, according to court documents.
The cousin relayed that Turner told Layla he wanted to meet because he had a birthday present for her. About ninety minutes later, the cousin called Layla again.
Layla told her cousin she was with Turner, was crying, and promised to call back later.
That promised call never came.
The obituary for the slain woman honors her memory:
Layla accepted Christ at 16, and her faith guided a life of service and love. Whether caring for others professionally or lifting spirits with her smile, she radiated peace and grace. Though her time was brief, her impact was lasting. Layla’s legacy of love and faith will forever be cherished by all who knew her.
“Domestic violence‑related homicides leave lasting harm on families and our community,” Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Our office works every day to hold abusers accountable and prevent these tragedies.”
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