In the early morning hours of December 16, 2018, Lee McNowelly, a 20-year-old male, was nearing the end of his overnight shift as a security guard in a south Kansas City industrial area. He had taken the job to support himself and his wife, Lorrie, with whom he had been since they were high school sweethearts. The couple had even created their own unique last name, McNowelly, when they married.
Lee had plans to leave the security profession and attend trade school in the new year, hoping to build a better future for his growing family.
Just thirty minutes before his shift was scheduled to end, tragedy struck. At approximately 5:30 a.m., Lee was discovered in his black Nissan in the parking lot at 8701 Elmwood Avenue, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound. The motive for the shooting remains unknown, and at the time, police had no description of any suspects. His wife described him as a family man who loved video games and respected firearms for protection, but would never senselessly harm anyone.
Lee, a 2016 graduate of Raytown High School, was remembered as a loving husband, son, and brother. In the wake of his death, his family and his wife, shattered by the sudden loss, appealed to the public for any information that could lead to an arrest. Despite their pleas and an ongoing police investigation, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been announced in connection with the murder of Lee McNowelly. The case remains an unsolved tragedy, leaving a young wife without her husband and a family still searching for answers.
