Frank Elliot Raney Jr., a 24-year-old aspiring rap artist from Kansas City, was on the cusp of realizing his dreams. Performing under the name FrankieBTW, he had already released two mixtapes and his first album, 'Papi Chulo,' on iTunes. Known as a dreamer and a jokester by his loved ones, he was channeling his passion for music, drawing, and writing into a burgeoning career that saw him tour with T-Pain in 2014. He was even in the process of launching his own apparel brand and had plans to move to California to further pursue his music.
Tragically, his promising future was cut short in the early morning hours of July 8, 2017. At approximately 6 a.m., police responded to a shooting near Bannister Road and McGee Street in southeast Kansas City. There, they found Frank Raney Jr. shot inside a car. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His death was one of 84 homicides in Kansas City that year, a significant increase from the previous year.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Kansas City Police Department investigated the homicide and presented their findings to the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office. The investigation identified two suspects, and detectives collected a significant amount of evidence, including the gun, a bullet, fingerprints, and trajectory information from the car where he was shot. Despite this, the prosecutor's office determined that there was not enough evidence to file charges, and no arrests were ever made in connection with his death.
Years later, the case remains a source of profound grief and unanswered questions for his mother, LaNita Raney. She has expressed her frustration with the lack of justice for her son, questioning why the evidence gathered was not sufficient for prosecution. Although the police consider the case closed, it could be reopened if new evidence or witnesses come forward. For now, Frank's family is left with the memory of a talented young man and the music he created.
