Layla Freeman: Life Sentence in Kansas City Birthday Killing

Layla Freeman was shot and killed in Kansas City, Missouri, on the night of May 13, 2025, the day she turned 21. In early October 2026 her former boyfriend, Rasheed Turner, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for her death, according to WDAF Fox 4 and Law&Crime.

Court records described in local reports say Freeman agreed to meet Turner that evening because he told her he had a birthday present for her. At the time, she had a temporary order of protection against him. A Jackson County jury found Turner guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in August 2026.

Who Was Layla Freeman?

Her obituary, published by Serenity Funeral Home in Kansas City, gives her full name as Layla Amore Freeman and says she was born on May 13, 2004. It describes her as someone known for her "compassion, faith, and unwavering kindness."

According to the obituary, Freeman graduated from Crossroads Preparatory Academy and went on to study at Lincoln University and at Metropolitan Community College, where she earned a certified nursing assistant qualification. In 2024 she started work at the IRS as a tax examiner.

Church was a large part of her life. The obituary says she became a Christian at 16 and was an active member of Victory Way Church, where she sang in the choir, led Bible studies for young people and worked as a choreographer and praise dancer in the youth ministry. Her survivors include her parents, three sisters and three brothers.

What Happened in Kansas City on May 13, 2025?

Kansas City police were called to the area of West 37th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue at about 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, after callers reported hearing gunfire, KCTV5 reported. Officers found Freeman in the street near a parked Chevrolet Malibu. She had been shot and died at the scene.

Police said at the time that their early investigation pointed to an altercation between Freeman and one or more suspects before the shooting, and they asked the public for tips.

Court documents summarized by KSHB 41 and WDAF Fox 4 set out the hours before her death. Turner texted Freeman late that morning to say he missed her. She pointed out that he had not wished her a happy birthday when they spoke on the phone, and he answered that he wanted to do it in person so he could give her a gift.

At about 6:30 p.m., Freeman was on a video call with her cousin, talking about their plans for the evening. She told her cousin that Turner had persuaded her to meet him because of the present. When the cousin called back roughly 90 minutes later, Freeman was crying, said she was still with Turner and promised to call back. She never did. A text the cousin sent at 10:01 p.m. went unanswered.

How Did Police Identify Rasheed Turner?

Witnesses told police they saw a man leave the Malibu, run to a blue Ford Mustang and drive away, according to the local reports. Detectives followed the Mustang on city surveillance cameras and license plate readers, then compared it with photos on Turner's Facebook page. They also reviewed messages the two had exchanged.

KSHB 41 reported that Freeman had a temporary protection order against Turner when she was killed, and that court documents referred to earlier domestic violence incidents involving him. None of the reports give further details about the order.

Turner, then 25, was arrested and charged on May 28, 2025. Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced one count of second-degree murder and one count of armed criminal action, and he was held without bond in the Jackson County Detention Center.

What Was the Verdict and Sentence?

On Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, a jury found Turner guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, KSHB 41 reported. The reports reviewed for this article do not explain when the murder count was raised from second degree to first degree.

Law&Crime reported that Jackson County Circuit Judge Adam Caine handed down the sentence on Wednesday, Oct. 7: life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder, plus 15 years for armed criminal action, with the two terms to run one after the other. WDAF Fox 4 reported the same sentence on Thursday, Oct. 8.

What Prosecutors Have Said

In a post on X quoted by Law&Crime, Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said: "Domestic violence-related homicides leave lasting harm on families and our community." She added that her office works to hold abusers accountable and to prevent deaths like this one.

The reports reviewed for this article do not include a statement from Turner or his lawyers, and they do not mention an appeal.

Anyone in the United States who feels unsafe in a relationship can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 at any hour.

Timeline of the Layla Freeman Case

Frequently Asked Questions

Who killed Layla Freeman?

A Jackson County jury found her former boyfriend, Rasheed Turner, guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in August 2026.

What sentence did Rasheed Turner receive?

He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder, plus 15 years for armed criminal action, according to WDAF Fox 4 and Law&Crime.

Did Layla Freeman have a protection order?

Yes. KSHB 41 and WDAF Fox 4 both reported that she had a temporary order of protection against Turner at the time she was killed.

MotiveX covers cases like this in documentary form on YouTube.

Sources

• WDAF Fox 4 Kansas City: report on the life sentence for Rasheed Turner
• Law&Crime: report on the sentencing and the prosecutor's statement
• KSHB 41 Kansas City: report on the jury's guilty verdict
• KSHB 41 Kansas City: report on the charges and court documents
• WDAF Fox 4 Kansas City: report on the charges and the protection order
• KCTV5 Kansas City: report on the arrest and charges
• KCTV5 Kansas City: first report on the police investigation
• Serenity Funeral Home: obituary for Layla Freeman