KC man sentenced to life in prison for fatal 2020 shooting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A Jackson County judge sentenced a 41-year-old man on Tuesday for a fatal shooting in July 2020.

Jonathan L. Bradford was sentenced to life in prison plus seven years for the fatal shooting of Lodillar R. Styles. According to court documents, Styles had driven Bradford to a residence before being suddenly shot in the head.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced that Bradford was sentenced to life in prison for his conviction on second-degree murder charges. He was also convicted of four other charges that included armed criminal action, tampering with a motor vehicle, abandonment of a corpse and fourth-degree assault.

KCPD was dispatched to the area of 40th and Tracy on a shooting and found Styles in the middle of the street on July 30, 2020.

A witness told police that the victim had picked her up and driven her to his apartment, where the suspect also arrived. The witness said as they were about to leave, Styles was in the driver’s seat and Bradford was in the passenger seat when the vehicle was pulled over to let Bradford out.

Police said the suspect attempted to get out but the doors were locked, leading Styles to ask Bradford to not pull on the door handles which had a child lock on. According to court documents, Styles instructed Bradford to let the window down and reach outside the door to open it. After Bradford said, “OK,” according to the witness, he then shot Styles in the head.

When Bradford was arrested, police recovered a pistol of the same caliber used in the homicide. Bradford told police he had been in the vehicle with Styles when chaos broke out.

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