In the late hours of an autumn evening in St. Louis, Missouri, the life of William Terney, a 51-year-old Caucasian male, was abruptly cut short. On October 14, 2020, at approximately 11:16 p.m., Terney was driving near the intersection of Southwest and McCausland avenues when he was fatally shot in the head. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Known affectionately as 'Billy' or 'Rainbow' to his friends and family, Terney was a father of five and the owner of River City Fence Company. He lived only a block away from where the shooting occurred.
The St. Louis Police Department's homicide unit is handling the investigation into Terney's death, which was the city's 213th homicide of that year. The circumstances that led to the shooting remain unclear, and authorities have not released any information about potential suspects. Investigators found Terney's vehicle at the scene, which is located near two gas stations. Police have urged anyone with information to contact the Homicide Division or CrimeStoppers to aid in the investigation. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with his murder.
A peculiar event complicated the initial stages of the investigation. An Employee Misconduct Report from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department revealed that an officer, Joshua Morrison, drove to the homicide scene while intoxicated. He was reportedly acting erratically with slurred speech, and a breathalyzer test showed a blood alcohol content of. 110, which is above the legal limit. Morrison, who was in his SLMPD vehicle, was charged with driving under the influence in November of that year and left the department the same month. The mother of Terney's children expressed her shock and concern that the officer's behavior could have compromised the investigation into the murder.
