Investigators rule death of man and his 2 young children a murder-suicide

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - On Tuesday, the Kansas City Police Department announced a new development in the deaths of a father and two young children.

Around 9:45 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, officers were called to do a welfare check on a home in the 1000 block of NW 91st Terrace in the Northland.

When officers arrived, they entered and found a fire burning inside the home. They exited for safety reasons and called the Kansas City Fire Department for help.

As firefighters brought the flames under control, police reentered and found a man and a young girl dead from gunshot wounds. They found another little boy with gunshot wounds and took him to an area hospital where he later died of his wounds.

Friday afternoon, the victims were identified as 38-year-old Zachary D. Hatcher, Charlotte Hatcher, 6, and Jeffery Hatcher, 8.

The circumstances surrounding their deaths were unclear until Tuesday afternoon when KD announced that a preliminary medical exam changed the ruling of the case to a murder-suicide. The children are listed as victims and Zachary Hatcher is listed as the suspect.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man and 2 children dead after fire, gunshots inside Kansas City home

Graham Walker, a neighbor, told KCTV5 he used to babysit the children and they “seemed like a really good family.” That night, he heard screams coming from the home.

“Me and my dad come outside, and we see a police officer running up to the house, and at that point, I saw no fire and no smoke,” Walker said. “Then eventually we check the back, and we see everything in fire. Next thing you know there was hundreds of fire department crews and police officers.”

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas responded to the deaths on social media Friday, saying his office is aware of the violence happening across the city. He also shared resources for anyone facing threats of domestic violence.

“Over holidays and winter weather, our hotlines and emergency services remain open. Please share 816-468-5463 (HOTLINE) for anyone who needs help,” he said.

The case remains under investigation.

correction: An earlier version of the story stated that police were called to the home on Friday, Jan. 3.

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