HIGH SPRINGS, FL — A Missouri woman wanted for a 2020 fatal shooting was arrested in north-central Florida on Wednesday morning, less than 24 hours after being added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list with a $1 million reward.
KaShawn Nicola Roper, 50, was taken into custody during a routine traffic stop in High Springs at 10:21 a.m., ending a multi-state manhunt that began nearly six years ago. The arrest came after investigators received credible tips following Tuesday’s announcement that Roper had been placed on the FBI’s most-wanted list for allegedly killing 23-year-old Jazmyn Henrion in Kansas City, Missouri, in August 2020. Roper faces charges of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, and federal charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
The shooting occurred in the early morning hours of August 23, 2020, when Kansas City police responded around 3:35 a.m. to a hospital where two women arrived in a private vehicle with gunshot wounds, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said at a news conference Wednesday. Henrion, a young mother of three children, was pronounced dead at the hospital, while the second woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators determined that Roper had fired multiple shots into the victims’ car during an altercation, striking both women. “We have never forgotten,” Graves said during the announcement of Roper’s placement on the most-wanted list. Roper was charged 18 days after the shooting on September 10, 2020, but had already fled the Kansas City area immediately after the incident, according to police.
Witnesses told investigators that the shooting stemmed from an argument between Roper and the car’s occupants, with varying accounts of what triggered the violence. According to an FBI affidavit, one witness said Roper shot at the car because she believed its passengers were “mean mugging” her. Another witness told officers the confrontation occurred while one of the passengers was visiting a Kansas City address to buy marijuana, and during the argument, a male in the car threw an item resembling a bottle at Roper. A third witness reported that the woman outside threw a drink at the individuals in the car before opening fire. Henrion’s youngest child was an infant at the time of the shooting, having been born in the summer of 2020, according to her friend Jovanna Graham, who told local media, “She loved her babies. That’s what hurts me the most, they not going to see their momma anymore.”
For nearly six years, law enforcement agencies searched for Roper across multiple states, with the FBI indicating she had ties to Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, Georgia, and South Dakota. Federal authorities believed she was constantly moving to avoid arrest during her time as a fugitive. The search intensified this week when new information placed her in Florida, leading to her rapid placement on the Ten Most Wanted list. High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard praised the coordination between agencies that led to her capture. “This outcome reflects the importance of coordinated efforts, shared intelligence, and mutual trust in protecting our communities,” Sheppard said. “We are especially proud of the professionalism and vigilance demonstrated by our HSPD officers during a routine traffic stop.”
The arrest was a joint operation involving High Springs Police Department, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with FBI Jacksonville coordinating the effort. FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley emphasized the urgency of apprehending Roper due to the serious nature of her alleged crimes. “From the moment we received information that Roper may be in our area, we surged into action, working in lockstep with our law enforcement partners to quickly track, locate, and apprehend her,” Carley said in a statement. “Given the serious and dangerous nature of her alleged crimes, her presence in the community posed an ongoing threat that we could not ignore.” In 2021, federal prosecutors added charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, elevating the case to federal jurisdiction and enabling the FBI’s involvement in the manhunt.
Jackson County, Missouri, Prosecutor Melesa Johnson expressed satisfaction with Roper’s capture after years of pursuing justice for Henrion’s family. “Six years later, Ms. Roper will now face the full weight of accountability for her alleged actions in 2020,” Johnson said in a statement following the arrest. The FBI had offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading directly to Roper’s arrest, though the agency declined to comment on whether the reward would be paid, citing standard policy regarding tipster privacy. Alachua County jail records showed Roper was being held without bond as of Thursday evening. A voicemail was left with a Kansas City attorney listed as representing Roper in court records, but there was no immediate response regarding her legal representation.
Roper is expected to be extradited back to Missouri to face prosecution on the original state charges related to Henrion’s death, as well as the federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. The case highlights the effectiveness of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted program, which has led to the capture of numerous dangerous fugitives since its inception. Her swift arrest demonstrates how public awareness and multi-agency coordination can bring long-running investigations to a conclusion, providing closure for victims’ families who have waited years for justice.
