Fugitive murder suspect returned to Tri-Cities a year after being captured
A murder suspect is locked up in the Benton County jail more than a year after he allegedly gunned down a man in Richland and fled to Missouri.
Kyle Johnson-Clark, 28, was booked into the Kennewick facility at 6:30 p.m. Monday on $1 million bail.
He is charged with first-degree murder and possession of a stolen gun.
Johnson-Clark evaded capture for more two months after his confrontation with Daniel S. Rice in the parking lot of the Columbia Park Apartments on Jadwin Avenue.
Richland police say Johnson-Clark shot the 30-year-old West Richland man in the back of the head as he tried to run away from his killer.
Rice had been at the complex on May 3, 2019, possibly looking for a woman who was staying there.
When the woman told her boyfriend that Rice was outside, Johnson-Clark grabbed his 9mm handgun and ran downstairs, according to investigators.
A short time later he allegedly fired at least six shots at Rice.
Rice died at Kadlec Regional Medical Center with his mother by his side. Family members said he was shot three times.
Court documents show Richland detectives found Johnson-Clark’s gun tossed into the Columbia River near the Snyder Boat Launch in Leslie Groves Park. The slide was forward, indicating the magazine was still partially loaded, court documents said.
A second, full magazine was found in nearby brush where Johnson-Clark had been seen walking after the shooting, said police.
Investigators later discovered the magazine in the gun was missing several rounds, but the remaining 9mm ammunition matched the empty casings at the scene, documents said.
Johnson-Clark left town after the deadly shooting. He used to live in the St. Louis area and had a criminal history in Missouri.
St. Louis police were going to arrest him on the Benton County murder warrant in July 2019 when Johnson-Clark reportedly opened fire on officers during a five-hour standoff.
Crisis negotiators were able to talk to Johnson-Clark by telephone throughout the incident, until he and two other adults came out of the house.
This story was originally published June 16, 2020 at 12:57 PM.