Do you know who murdered Richard Jewell? In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, a sense of loss fell over a Louisville, Kentucky community. Richard Lee Jewell, a 58-year-old Black/African American man known to many as "Big Rick," passed away in late November 2019. Born in Louisville on Christmas Day in 1960, he was a man who found joy in music and had a particular fondness for his Cadillacs.
Described as a jokester, his presence brought laughter to those who knew him.
The circumstances surrounding his death, however, cast a dark shadow. On November 27, 2019, the day before Thanksgiving, Jewell was found inside his home on Lillian Avenue, located near the historic Churchill Downs. An autopsy would later reveal that he had died from gunshot wounds. The discovery prompted the Louisville Metro Police Department to open a homicide investigation into the untimely death of the local man who was a father and grandfather.
As detectives began their work, initial reports indicated they had not identified any suspects in the shooting. The community was left with questions and a void where a beloved family member and friend once stood. Richard Jewell was laid to rest the following week, leaving behind his son and daughter, several grandchildren, and a host of other relatives and friends to cherish his memory.
In the years that have followed, public information regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in the murder of Richard Jewell has not been released. His case adds to the number of unsolved homicides in the city, a source of ongoing concern for the community and law enforcement alike. The investigation into who was responsible for his death remains open, leaving his loved ones waiting for justice.
