In the winter of 2022, the life of 19-year-old Willie Willow Earl Winzer was cut short in a burst of violence. On the afternoon of Monday, December 12th, police in Ruston, Louisiana, responded to a call of a shooting at the Edgewood Square Apartments on McDonald Avenue. Arriving at approximately 1:35 p.m., they discovered Winzer lying in the parking lot, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
He was rushed to the Northern Louisiana Medical Center, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from an argument between Winzer and at least one other individual. At the time of the incident, it was unclear why Winzer, who was not a resident of the apartment complex, was there. The details of the dispute that led to his death remained elusive to law enforcement in the immediate aftermath.
Winzer's death came shortly after a recent brush with the law. He had been released from jail after serving a sentence for the negligent homicide of his 18-year-old girlfriend, Krystavia Buggs, in March of 2021. Buggs died from a single gunshot wound to the head. Initially, Winzer denied his involvement but later admitted to the shooting, claiming he believed the gun was unloaded. It is unknown if the two incidents were related.
In the days following Winzer's death, the Ruston Police Department appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the identification and apprehension of a suspect or suspects. As of late December 2022, no arrests had been made in connection with the murder of Willie Willow Earl Winzer, and his case remained under active investigation. There have been no subsequent public updates regarding any arrests, charges, or convictions in the case.
