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Toson awaits trial on murder charges in K.C.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008
(Photo)
Toson
The Fort Scott Tribune

A Kansas City woman remains in custody after being accused of shooting her boyfriend, a Fort Scott native, to death in his home earlier this year.

Kansas City Police officers were called to the home of John Barbieri, 37, former employee of Vista Pharmacy, on Monday, March 17 after receiving reports of shots being fired in the house.

A close neighbor later reported that Toson broke into her home with a handgun asking to call the police.

"All she just kept saying was that she shot her boyfriend and she didn't know if he was dead," said Chancella Mack in an interview with KCTV 5 news.

Mack was in her home at Saida Avenue and North Drury Avenue with her two children at the time of the incident.

"I seen her coming through my window and then she got up and started walking toward me with the gun, and she was like 'I don't want to hurt you, just call the police. I just shot my boyfriend,'" Mack said.

Mack said Toson quickly calmed down and gave up possession of the gun.

Upon arrival, police entered the rear door of Barbieri's home discovering his body.

An investigation of the crime scene resulted in the finding of a gun under the victim's pillow and two "crack pipes" found at the foot of the victim's bed, according to police reports.

Toson, 29, reportedly told police that she shot Barbieri in self defense after he forced her to smoke crack cocaine and raped her twice while pointing a gun to her head.

Toson alleged she was told to shower by Barbieri and when she returned to the room he went for his gun. She reportedly pulled a handgun from her bag and shot Barbieri several times. According to the police report, Toson told police she believed her weapon was a "cap gun."

Toson is being charged with first-degree murder as well as armed criminal action and is currently being held on a $250,000 cash bond. She is scheduled to appear before Judge John O'Malley for a pretrial conference on Dec. 1 in the Kansas City Division 6 Criminal Court.


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She makes the statement that she was his girlfriend. I find this hard to believe since he had just moved to the city. He didn't even have time to pay his first months rent, or get his first paycheck. If he had a gun when she came back into the room I would like to know why or how the police found him what appeared to be sound asleep. I thought if you smoked crack you couldn't sleep. John was and still is soo loved. I find it hard to believe that next week I would have went to the city to celebrate his 38th birthday with him. Now I will go to see how this will all end.

-- Posted by 2 Broken Hearted on Wed, Nov 26, 2008, at 8:49 PM

First, what handgun did she use? a 9mm .22, .38 or .45?

Second, Is it just me or does "Forced" to smoke crack, have sex and take shower seem inconsistent? Ok, I'm not calling her a LIAR, but maybe she was "conflicted" about what she was doing there? I mean her kids were safe at home while she was out on her social visit. Was she FORCED to leave home by an ALIEN ABDUCTION TEAM to visit her "abusive" boyfriend and happened to have time to throw her "peashooter" in her handbag (even though it her hand was shaking so bad?) Give me a break.

-- Posted by ed.eskimo on Tue, Nov 25, 2008, at 3:52 PM

We should not remember him for what this story says,I remember him as a kind, loving and humorous man. We hold him close and dear to our hearts, my boys miss him more than you all can image and cry for him often. We should kept those who loved him close to our hearts. Her going to jail and staying there will be a good birthday present for John, he would drink a glass of wine to that. LOL!

-- Posted by loving friend on Tue, Nov 25, 2008, at 1:41 PM


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