Suspected serial killer charged after KC man’s body is found in his own closet

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Perez Reed, a suspected serial killer from St. Louis, has been charged after a Kansas City man’s body was found inside his own closet in November of 2021.

According to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, 26-year-old Perez D. Reed has been charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and two counts of fraudulent use of a credit/debit device in connection with this case.

Reed is in custody in St. Louis. Prosecutors have recommended that he be held on these new charges without bond.

According to court records, Stephon D. Johnson’s family filed a missing persons report after not hearing from Johnson since Nov. 1, 2021.

On Nov. 8, Kansas City officers went to Johnson’s apartment in the 1800 block of Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. and found his body inside his unit’s closet.

Officers were able to determine that he had sustained a gunshot wound to the back of the head. They also collected an empty cigarillo package.

A check of DNA on that package showed strong support that it was Reed’s.

When Reed was arrested in November on warrants out of St. Louis County, a key was found with him. That key fit the deadbolt at Johnson’s apartment.

Also, witnesses told police that a man from St. Louis they’d seen on the news referred to as a “serial killer” was the same man with a crescent tattoo between his eyes who had been a guest of Johnson’s in KC.

In addition, the bullet retrieved from Johnson’s body was fired by a gun that Reed had in his possession at the time of his arrest.

Reed has been charged in connection with the deaths of several other people. The FBI has previously said he is linked to six murders. He has already been formally charged in connection with two deaths at Wyandotte Towers in KCK, as well as four deaths in the St. Louis area.

Johnson is considered to be Reed’s seventh victim.

Previous coverage from KCTV:

Wyandotte Towers residents relieved after accused serial killer is charged

Suspected serial killer Perez Reed charged in 2 Wyandotte County homicides

KCPD investigating homicide at Brush Creek Towers

Suspected St. Louis serial killer also killed 2 people in KCK, FBI says

Previous coverage from KMOV in St. Louis:

Suspected serial killer pleads not guilty to 2 St. Louis murder charges

Is Perez Reed a serial killer who was walking among us?

St. Louis man linked to 6 murders, FBI says