Do you know who murdered David? On the early morning of August 15, 2003, David “Ray” Ninemire, a 68-year-old Caucasian male, was nearing the end of his overnight shift as the produce manager at the Apple Market grocery store in Westwood, Kansas. Just days before, he had made the decision to retire. As he prepared to go home, a man in a bizarre disguise, described as resembling an Amish man or Abraham Lincoln with a black hat, wig, and fake beard, entered the store.
The quiet morning was shattered when the disguised
man, armed with a handgun, confronted a 70-year-old female cashier, who screamed in terror. Hearing his co-worker's cry for help, Ninemire rushed to her aid. The robber turned his attention to the approaching manager and fired his weapon, striking Ninemire in the leg. The bullet severed his femoral artery, causing catastrophic bleeding. The assailant then calmly walked out of the store, last seen heading north towards Kansas City, Kansas. Despite the desperate efforts of his co-workers and the first police officers on the scene, David Ninemire bled to death before medical help could arrive.
For nearly two decades, the murder of David Ninemire, a devoted father and grandfather, remained the first and only homicide in the city of Westwood, haunting the small community. The case grew cold, though investigators continued to receive tips over the years. Billboards were put up, and at one point a reward of $35,000 was offered for information leading to an arrest. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the Westwood Police Department and the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, which eventually formed a cold case squad to re-examine the evidence.
A significant breakthrough finally came in August 2020, nearly 17 years after the fatal shooting. Authorities announced they had charged Eugene Clayton Keltner, then 40, with first-degree murder for the death of David Ninemire. At the time the charges were filed, Keltner was already incarcerated at Lansing Correctional Facility for an unrelated 2004 involuntary manslaughter and aggravated robbery case in Wyandotte County. The charges brought a renewed hope for justice for Ninemire's family and the community that had long awaited answers.
