Donald 'Donny' Ray Herron Jr. was a 25-year-old father and former athlete residing in Grandview, Missouri, known to his community for his outgoing and caring personality. A graduate of Lee's Summit North High School, where he had been an honorable-mention all-conference football player, he later attended Missouri Western State University as a backup quarterback. By 2016, he had left college to dedicate himself to raising his one-year-old son, Major, and was engaged to his fiancée, Santiana.
Friends and family described him as a man full of positivity who loved cooking, sports, and spending time with his loved ones.
The tragic events leading to his death began in the early morning hours of June 6, 2016. Donald had been out with a childhood friend, Tyler Gatewood, who was visiting from out of town, while his fiancée and young son slept at their home in the 6000 block of 153rd Street. Sometime before dawn, three masked intruders broke into the residence. The assailants woke Santiana and held her at gunpoint, demanding money and property. When they failed to find what they were looking for, they forced her to call Donald and tell him to come home, using her as leverage to lure him back to the house.
Unaware of the ambush awaiting him, Donald and Tyler arrived at the residence shortly after the call. Upon entering, they were immediately confronted by the armed men. Rather than submitting, Donald and his friend fought back against the intruders in an attempt to protect his family. During the struggle, Donald was shot three times, sustaining wounds to his ankle, thigh, and a fatal shot to his chest. The attackers then fled the scene, taking with them a leather backpack, a PlayStation console, and video game controllers.
Emergency responders arrived after a 911 call was placed around 3:00 a.m., and Donald was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Despite the activation of the Metro Squad and subsequent investigations by the Grandview Police Department, the case has remained unsolved. Investigators noted that Donald was reportedly able to identify one of the intruders before he died, mentioning a street name, but no official arrests have been made, and no charges have been filed in connection with the homicide. Rewards for information have been raised by family and community members over the years, yet the three suspects responsible for the home invasion and murder remain at large.
