Link between Thanksgiving murders, third woman's slaying investigated - Kansas City Star

Kansas City police told The Star on Tuesday that they are investigating whether Jerry Petty — the man who killed his wife and her goddaughter before officers killed him in a Thanksgiving gunbattle — killed a third woman in her home before the shootout.

The third woman, Denise Hall, was found shot to death in the 2900 block of East 69th Street on Saturday afternoon — at least two days after police think she was killed. Police said Hall, 56, was an acquaintance of Petty.

"We are looking at different tips and evidence that could possibly link the cases," said homicide Capt. Floyd Mitchell. "We're waiting on analysis of evidence recovered at the scene."

Friends of Petty, 64, and his wife, Loretta Petty, think Jerry Petty robbed Hall for money to buy crack. Police said they weren't sure why Jerry Petty killed his wife and her 16-year-old goddaughter, Deja Davis, but police found drug paraphernalia inside the home. Police said they thought Jerry Petty had been pawning items recently for drug money.

Dozens of people mourned Loretta during a prayer vigil on Tuesday and shared stories of how she helped them overcome drug and alcohol addictions. Many of the speakers prayed for Jerry Petty, too, and recalled how he had helped them.

"Right now, I'm trying not to hate Jerry because that's not what she would want," said Estella Thompson, Loretta's daughter. Her mother, she said, never gave up on people because others had stuck with her during her darkest times.

"I'm telling you, if she had lived through this, she would have stayed with him," Thompson said. "Not because she had low self-esteem, but because she loved him."

Also on Tuesday, police released new details about the shootout with officers.

Officers were called to the Pettys' home in the 6600 block of Bellefontaine Avenue about 9:30 p.m. Thursday by Deja's brother. Deja's mother sent him to the house because she could not reach Deja or Loretta Petty all day, and the two failed to show up for dinner.

When Deja's brother first arrived, police believe, Jerry Petty was inside with the two bodies, staging the home to look as if a burglary had occurred, including breaking a window. Before Deja's brother called police, he called Jerry's cellphone to ask about the window. Jerry said he was not home and told the brother to stay outside.

Suspicious, the brother called police. Officers said they entered through an unlocked back door and announced themselves. A man sitting on a couch opened fire at them. The officers were pinned down in a laundry room, according to police reports, and exchanged gunshots with the gunman through the wall.

The gunman fled out the front door and ran down the block. He circled back and ended up behind his home, where he encountered more officers, who shot him. Police said they didn't know whether Jerry Petty was hit during the first exchange of gunfire.

Donald E. Ousley Jr., a friend of the Pettys, said he met Loretta in 2002 when she helped him with his community outreach program for drug addicts called Put Down the Pipe.

"She helped me improve it," Ousley said.

Loretta Petty devoted her life to her family and helping people addicted to drugs or alcohol. She was a recovering alcoholic herself, Ousley said, just weeks away from celebrating 20 years of sobriety. She worked at a hospital helping patients with drug, alcohol and other related health issues. She earned a doctorate in mental health education, Ousley said.

"She was a firm believer in education," he said. "She had overcome her own personal demons. … In the recovery community, she was greatly loved. A lot of people are just as sad and confused about it as they are angry at Jerry."

Ousley said Jerry had previously worked as a substance abuse counselor before being hired by Habitat for Humanity doing maintenance work. Jerry recently "relapsed" into crack cocaine, Ousley said.

"He is an example of just how drastic the mood and mind can be altered with drugs," Ousley said. "None of us could ever have imagined that he could do these things. It's a shock to all of us."

Loretta Petty described herself on her Facebook page as a "self-made woman" who believes in Jesus Christ and has two "grown children who I am very proud of. Still waiting on grandchildren." She wrote that she was married to a "terrific man who loves me with every breath he takes."

Everything was going so well for her mother, Estella Thompson said. She had a lovely home, she enjoyed good relationships with her family, she was succeeding in her career.

"She was just at a happy point in her life," Thompson said.

Deja was a junior at Ruskin High School, mother Stephanie Davis said. School officials described her as an excellent student who was part of the debate team.

A large group of her classmates and teachers attended a prayer vigil in Deja's memory on Monday night, a sight that helped console her mother.

"She touched a lot of people's lives that I didn't know she touched," Davis said.

Deja's debate coach, Paul Hackenberger, said in an interview that she started out shy in class but grew more confident in her public speaking as soon as the competitions began.

"She was passionate and enthusiastic," he said. "There was not a time she came in to class without a question to ask about the topic we were discussing or about how to formulate arguments."

Hackenberger said the other debaters took Deja's death "very hard." They are talking about naming the school-hosted tournament after her.

Deja enjoyed working on her computer, eating Chinese food and listening to Chris Brown's music. She wasn't an athlete or a cheerleader, her mother said, but she was very smart. When a lot of kids might have been hanging out, Deja cracked the books.

She wanted to become a nurse practitioner, and her doctor had already promised to hire her when she graduated, her mother said. (Deja had talked about becoming a veterinarian, though her mother suggested that might not be her calling if Deja couldn't bear to touch the occasional snake or rat.)

Davis paid close attention to her daughter's whereabouts and worked hard to keep her safe. So it was particularly tragic that Deja was killed while visiting a trusted family friend.

"I thought that she was safe," Davis said. "She had been over there so many times over the last six months."

Deja, her mother said, was "a perfect child."

"I couldn't find one picture of my baby where she wasn't smiling," Davis said.

Police said Deja got up early on Thanksgiving to help Loretta Petty cook. The women in the family planned to go shopping after their Thanksgiving meal.

Petty and Deja had prepared several dishes before they were killed. Police found them neatly wrapped in aluminum foil at the murder scene.

To reach Christine Vendel, call 816-234-4438 or send email to cvendel@kcstar.com.To reach James Hart, call 816-234-4902 or send email to jhart@kcstar.com.

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