A co-worker murder trial ended Tuesday with a Kansas City man being found guilty in the shooting death of his former co-worker after a two-day proceeding in Platte County Circuit Court.
Daniel Kelati, 55, was convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of Tariku Fite.
Co-Worker Murder Trial Ends With Guilty Verdict
The co-worker murder trial centered on a deadly shooting that happened on Oct. 9, 2021, at a QuikTrip in Riverside. Prosecutors said Kelati shot and killed Fite as Fite was beginning to pump gas into his car.
Following the two-day trial, the court found Kelati guilty of second-degree murder and armed criminal action. The verdict marks a major development in a case that began nearly three years after the fatal gas station shooting.
Kelati had previously pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease. However, prosecutors presented the case in Platte County Circuit Court, where the jury returned a guilty verdict Tuesday.
Shooting Happened At Riverside Gas Station
According to the information provided in court, the shooting took place at the QuikTrip in Riverside. Fite had arrived at the gas station and was starting to pump gas when he was shot.
A responding officer with the Riverside Police Department found Fite lying near a gas pump with a gunshot wound to the head. The scene quickly became part of a homicide investigation.
Authorities said Kelati was taken into custody at the QuikTrip after the shooting. He told officers that he had killed Fite, according to details from the case.
Prosecutors Said Kelati Followed Victim
A key part of the co-worker murder trial involved prosecutors proving that Kelati followed Fite to the gas station before the shooting. That detail became central to the case as prosecutors worked to show what happened before the fatal encounter.
The information provided does not include details about what may have led to the conflict between the two former co-workers. However, the case focused on the events at the gas station and Kelati’s actions before and after the shooting.
Fite’s death left investigators with a clear crime scene at the gas pump and a suspect who remained at the location when officers arrived.
Convicted On Two Serious Charges
Kelati was convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Second-degree murder cases typically involve an intentional killing or a killing carried out under circumstances defined by law, while armed criminal action is connected to the use of a weapon during a crime.
In this case, the court’s verdict means Kelati now faces sentencing for both convictions. He remains in custody in the Platte County Jail.
His sentencing has been scheduled for June 29 at 10:30 a.m. At that hearing, the court is expected to determine the penalties connected to the guilty verdict.
Case Moves Toward Sentencing
The guilty verdict closes the trial phase of the case but does not end the legal process. The next major step will be sentencing, where the court will decide what punishment Kelati will receive for the convictions.
For now, the co-worker murder trial stands as a serious reminder of how a workplace connection ended in deadly violence at a public gas station.
As the case moves toward sentencing, the focus shifts from the verdict to the consequences Kelati will face under the court’s decision.