Kansas City, MO – A suspected serial killer has been charged with a seventh murder after witnesses recognized him by his distinct crescent moon forehead tattoo, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor.
Perez Deshay Reed, 26, has been accused in six other killings in St. Louis and in Kansas City, Kansas. Now, he's accused of a seventh murder in Kansas City, Missouri.
On Friday, Reed was charged in Jackson County with the November 2021 shooting death of Stephon D. Johnson. Johnson's body was found stuffed inside a closet in his KCMO apartment. Investigators reported Johnson had been shot in the back of the head.
Witnesses reported to investigators they saw a man with a crescent moon forehead tattoo with Johnson, after they recognized him on TV from St. Louis.
Prosecutors say DNA at the scene connects Reed to the murder, along with a key that fit the deadbolt lock at Johnson's apartment they say he was carrying. Bullets recovered from the murder were also determined to have been fired from a gun in Reed's possession, they allege.
Reed allegedly killed Marnay Haynes, 16, on Sept. 13, 2021, and Lester Robinson, 40, on Sept. 26 - both in St. Louis County. He has also been charged with two other murders - Pamela Abercrombie, 49, on Sept. 16 and Carey Ross, 24, on Sept. 19, in St. Louis City.
Across stateline in KCK - Reed is charged with the deaths of Rau'daja De'Naya and Damon Washington Irvin, who were killed in October.
Officials shared that most of the victims were women, some being sex workers, and four of them were shot in the head.
The FBI arrested Reed after he was spotted getting off a bus in Independence, Missouri.
Reed is being held without bond in St. Louis.