On September 22, 2021, a violent incident unfolded at a Pilot Travel Center in Nevada, Missouri, claiming the life of Justin Jonathan Goolsby, a 32-year-old White male. Goolsby, a resident of Nevada, Missouri, had arrived at the gas station on East Austin Boulevard for a scheduled child custody exchange involving his daughter. While he waited in his vehicle, he was approached by 62-year-old Steven Sam Vignolo, the grandfather of the child involved in the custody arrangement.
Without warning, Vignolo fired multiple shots into the vehicle, striking Goolsby several times in the chest. Emergency personnel responded to the scene and transported Goolsby to the Nevada Regional Medical Center, but he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
Following the shooting, witnesses reported seeing the gunman flee the scene on foot. Law enforcement officers from the Nevada Police Department and the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office quickly set up a perimeter and located Vignolo at a nearby Burger King, where he was taken into custody without further incident. During the investigation, a. 45 caliber handgun believed to be the murder weapon was recovered from a bush where Vignolo had discarded it before entering the restaurant.
In interviews with investigators, Vignolo admitted to the shooting and revealed his motive stemmed from allegations that Goolsby had inappropriately touched Vignolo's granddaughter. However, authorities noted during the investigation that Goolsby was not listed on any sex offender registry in Missouri or Kansas, and the claims remained unsubstantiated in the context of the murder charges. Goolsby's fiancée later stated on social media that the custody exchange plans had been abruptly changed by the child’s mother that day, leading Goolsby to the location where the ambush occurred.
Vignolo was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was held in the Vernon County Jail on a no-bond hold while awaiting trial. The case eventually went before a jury in early 2024. During the proceedings, prosecutors presented evidence of the premeditated nature of the attack, citing Vignolo's own admissions and his lack of remorse; he reportedly told authorities he would commit the act again if given the chance. On February 29, 2024, the jury returned a guilty verdict for first-degree murder after approximately two hours of deliberation. Steven Sam Vignolo was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
