A Missouri man and his girlfriend have been found guilty of the murder of a 32-year-old woman, whose dismembered remains were discovered in their backyard. The shocking case came to light when a young girl, who had been sexually abused by the couple, bravely shared her harrowing story. Michael Hendricks, 40, and Maggie Ybarra, 30, were convicted by a Jackson County jury on multiple charges related to the murder of Kensie Aubry. The verdict was announced late Thursday by authorities.
Hendricks was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree harassment, attempted enticement of a child, third-degree child molestation, and first-degree sexual misconduct. Ybarra, on the other hand, was convicted of second-degree murder, attempted enticement of a child, first-degree sexual misconduct, and attempted tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution. Additionally, she was found guilty on three counts of attempted tampering with a victim in a felony prosecution. Hendricks, upon the jury’s guilty verdict, waived sentencing. He will face a formal sentencing hearing at a later date, where a life sentence without the possibility of parole is expected due to the first-degree murder conviction.
Kensie Aubry, a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, went missing in October 2020, prompting her family to report her disappearance. In July 2021, her dismembered body was found in the backyard of a property owned by Hendricks on South Buckner-Tarsney Road.
The investigation into Aubry’s murder began when a 13-year-old girl came forward in April 2021, reporting the sexual abuse she had suffered at the hands of Hendricks and Ybarra. The young victim revealed that Hendricks had molested her and attempted to involve her in sexual activities with him and Ybarra. Shockingly, the girl’s account didn’t end there. She disclosed that the couple had bragged about their violent acts against Aubry and even showed her photographs as proof.
According to a detective’s affidavit, Ybarra, who had previously served as Aubry’s foster mother, showed the young victim images on her cellphone of a bound, naked, and gagged woman. Ybarra’s guardianship over Aubry had been revoked after she allowed multiple sexual partners to abuse the girl when she was younger. The victim further revealed that Hendricks, Ybarra, and Aubry had engaged in sexual activities together, and Ybarra claimed that Hendricks had choked Aubry to death before placing her body in a freezer.
County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker expressed gratitude for the courageous child who came forward and testified against the defendants. Baker hailed the young victim as an “unmitigated hero” and emphasized that without her bravery, the fate of Kensie Aubry might have remained unknown.
The information provided by the young victim led investigators to the property near Grain Valley, Missouri, where Aubry’s mutilated remains were discovered. The child victim’s account also aligned with previous statements made by Hendricks, who had expressed a disturbing fascination with death while watching a horror movie with the young girl and Ybarra. The victim disclosed that Hendricks had admitted to using a chainsaw to dismember Aubry’s body in an attempt to dispose of the evidence.