On the evening of November 4, 2016, 19-year-old Jona Hogue Rosson, a female of Native American descent, was at her residence on Connecticut Avenue, located just outside the city limits of Joplin, Missouri. She was at home with her husband, Keegan Rosson, whom she had married the previous year. According to reports from the scene, the couple was engaging in playful wrestling in their living quarters.
During this interaction, a handgun that Keegan was wearing on his waistband accidentally discharged. The bullet struck Jona in the stomach, creating a critical medical emergency.
Responders arrived at the scene and transported Jona to a nearby hospital for treatment, but she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after. Law enforcement officials opened an inquiry into the circumstances of the shooting to determine if a crime had been committed. The investigation focused on whether the discharge of the weapon was an intentional act or a case of criminal negligence. After reviewing the evidence and the account of the events, authorities concluded that the shooting was a tragic accident with no malicious intent involved.
As a result of the investigation's findings, Keegan Rosson was not arrested, and no criminal charges were filed against him in relation to his wife's death. There were no suspects sought other than the husband, who cooperated with officials, and the case did not proceed to any trial or conviction. Jona, who was a young mother to an infant daughter named Carter Lane Rosson, was later laid to rest at the Watashe Family Cemetery in Kellyville, Oklahoma, following a service attended by her extended family and friends.
