A murder suspect out of Kansas City, Missouri is in custody in Van Buren County following a break in and struggle with police on Saturday.
Covert Township Police Chief Jay Allen tells us two officers were called to a home in the 45,000 block of Blue Star Highway around 12:45 a.m. on a report of a home invasion in progress. They arrived to learn the suspect, 19-year-old Jason Sessoms, had already been confronted by the armed homeowner. He was trying to flee when he ran into the officers.
Allen says Sessoms tried to disarm an officer, and after a struggle was brought into custody.
Questioning of Sessoms and his juvenile brother revealed Sessoms had allegedly shot his parents in a hotel room in Kansas City. Police in Van Buren County then contacted police in Kansas City, who found the bodies of 42-year-old Marvin Sessoms and 38-year-old Maleeka Sessoms in that hotel room.
Allen says police in Kansas City didn’t yet know about the murders when contacted.
“I have to give credit to the investigators that didn’t just stop at arresting him and lodging him, but dug a little deeper and started asking questions and coming up with why he was here and where he came from and then leading authorities in Kansas City to be able to discover the two victims,” Allen said.
Allen says there was no relationship between Sessoms and the owner of the home he’d broken into.
“As of this point, we have not established any connection. He had just left the scene and was driving anywhere and away from there.”
Sessoms is now charged in Van Buren County with home invasion, attempting to disarm a police officer, carrying a concealed weapon, and resisting and obstructing. His brother was turned over to Child Protective Services.
The prosecutors in Missouri and Michigan will now work to determine what happens next.
