US Marine veteran, missionary killed in Facebook Marketplace meetup scam

Four people, including a male juvenile, have been arrested in connection with the robbery and fatal shooting of a U.S. Marine veteran and missionary during a Facebook Marketplace meetup scam.  

Michael Ryan Burke, 42, was shot at his home on Jan. 18, according to a press release from police in Columbia, Missouri. 

The incident stemmed from a planned Facebook Marketplace meetup where the suspects allegedly arranged to buy Burke's iPhone 15 Pro under false pretenses as part of a broader robbery spree targeting phone sellers, according to court documents. 

Burke had agreed to meet with the buyers, who police identified as 18-year-old suspects Alexis Baumann, Kobe Aust and Joseph Crane, along with an unidentified juvenile suspect.

Baumann allegedly drove the group to Burke's residence, where Crane and the juvenile entered the home armed with pistols. She allegedly heard three gunshots, after which the two ran back to her vehicle, admitting they shot Burke and took his phone, which they then sold at a Walmart, the affidavit stated.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the group had robbed at least two others in the days prior by stealing phones during similar arranged sales and selling them at a local kiosk. 

The document states that the unidentified juvenile suspect told one of the victims, “If you touch me, I’ll shoot you,” after taking her phone.

Burke, a U.S. Marine veteran, University of Missouri graduate, former firefighter and humanitarian who conducted missionary work in places like Uganda, Haiti and Iraq — including working with Christian communities and children in Iraq — was able to call 911 after the shooting to report the incident and describe his assailants, Fox News reported.

He also reportedly sent a final text to his mother and sister: “Hey, I’m dying and I love you,” according to CBS affiliate KRCG. 

All three suspects were charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree burglary, while Crane was also charged with armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon, according to police.

On his Facebook page, Burke frequently shared about his faith in Jesus Christ, as well as his missionary work in Uganda, Argentina and other nations. He shared about his partnership with C3 church in West Africa in a Jan. 15 post, adding, “Grateful to walk this journey and witness what God is doing. To God be the glory.”

A GoFundMe page was also set up to help his family members pay for funeral expenses. As of Tuesday morning, it has raised over $25,000.