In the winter of 2022, a quiet Hazelwood apartment complex became the scene of a fatal shooting that would tear a family apart. On the evening of November 27th, 65-year-old John Whitney was found with a gunshot wound inside his apartment in the 7500 block of Hazelcrest Drive. Responding officers found him still able to speak, and he initially told them that he had been shot by an unknown assailant while taking his dog for a walk.
Despite being rushed to a hospital, Whitney succumbed to his injuries.
The initial report of a random act of violence soon gave way to a more disturbing narrative. A witness to the shooting came forward with a different account, telling investigators that Whitney had been shot inside the condo, not outside. This witness identified the shooter as Whitney's own son, 40-year-old John Darnell Lee, who lived with his father. The witness's statement was consistent with the evidence found at the scene of the crime.
Following this new information, investigators questioned Lee about his father's death. During the interview, Lee admitted to the shooting. He was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of his father, John Whitney. The motive for the patricide was not immediately made public.
