William Maze

William Ezell Maze was a man with roots in the small town of Ridgely, Tennessee, who had made a life for himself in Kansas City, Missouri. Born on January 28, 1957, he was 58 years old at the time of his death. Though he lived in Kansas City, he was remembered by those in his former hometown, where his memorial service would later be held, a testament to the connections he maintained throughout his life.

On the afternoon of Monday, November 30, 2015, the quiet of a residential street in Kansas City was shattered by violence. Shortly after noon, officers with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department were dispatched to a home at 4511 Virginia Avenue, near 45th Street, following reports of a disturbance. Some initial reports mentioned shots being fired in the area. When police arrived, they found William Maze unresponsive in the front yard of the residence. Emergency medical personnel were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Investigators soon pieced together a timeline of the tragic events. They determined that an altercation had begun inside the house between Maze and another individual. Family members later confirmed to police that the two had been involved in a fight. The conflict escalated and moved from inside the home out into the open. The struggle spilled onto the sidewalk and front yard, where Maze sustained a fatal stab wound. A witness reported hearing the scuffle and then saw a suspect fleeing from the residence just after the confrontation. That same witness reportedly fired gunshots at the person as they ran from the scene.

The Kansas City Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation. Detectives canvassed the neighborhood, speaking with potential witnesses and searching for evidence. Despite the witness account of a suspect fleeing the area, authorities were unable to provide a public description of the individual. The person seen running from the home disappeared before police could arrive, and their identity remains unknown.

In the days and weeks that followed, the investigation continued, but no arrests were made. The case was assigned to the KCPD's Homicide Unit, with Detective Jason Findley listed as the case detective. The department has continued to ask for the public's help in solving the crime, urging anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it might seem, to come forward.

While his life ended in an act of violence in Kansas City, William Maze was laid to rest in the community where he was formerly from. A memorial service was held for him on Saturday, December 19, 2015, at the Solomon Chapel Baptist Church in Ridgely, Tennessee, allowing friends and family there to honor his memory and mourn their loss.

Years have passed, but the murder of William Maze remains unsolved. His case is one of many that detectives continue to work on, hoping for a new lead that will bring a resolution. The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department asks anyone with information regarding the stabbing of William Maze to contact the Homicide Unit at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline.