NEVADA, Mo. – Police arrested and charged a 17-year-old suspect in the stabbing deaths of two teenage girls.
Garrett Matthew Mason, of Nevada, about 95 miles south of Kansas City, faces two counts of murder in the first degree and two counts of armed criminal action. He is in the Vernon County jail with his bond set at $2 million.
In two days, Kylie M. Leyva planned to celebrate her 15th birthday with her father and other relatives in Riverside, Calif. Instead, those relatives are coming to tiny Nevada, Mo., for her funeral.
“It’s been 25 years since anything really like this has happened,” said Mike Lane, who lives near the crime scene.
Sunday night, Leyva and Anne E. Reed, 18, died violently. Police found the stabbed teens around 6:25 p.m. They were both taken by ambulance to Nevada Regional Medical Center and then by helicopter to hospitals in Joplin, where they were later pronounced dead.
At the time, Leyva was visiting Reed’s apartment located at 618 North Cedar St.
Two hours earlier, Leyva’s mom, Danielle Stephenson, said her daughter called home saying she was having fun watching movies with Reed.
So far, investigators are not saying what they believe happened. However, neighbors spent Monday discussing possible motives.
“Supposedly, this is all premeditated,” said Clifford Short, another neighbor. “There was a list of more than several people and my daughter was on that list. She was next on the hit list.”
Police will not confirm the existence of such a “hit list.” Leyva’s mother believes it is a rumor.
Still, no one can believe such a violent crime occurred in Nevada.
“It’s unbelievable something like this would happen here,” Lane said. “It makes you think about how precious life is and how quick it can be taken from somebody.”
Short said Reed lived with his family for a few months. Later, she got an apartment with his daughter – the same apartment when the crime occurred.
“Scared it was my daughter. And when I found out who it was, I was irate. If I would have been here last night, I would be in prison,” Clifford Short said.
Leyva did not have life insurance. The US Bank in Nevada has a fund set up to help her family with funeral costs.
Kylie Leyva Fund/Danielle Stephenson
c/o US Bank
200 E. Cherry St.
Nevada, MO 64772-3320
