In the winter of 2017, the life of 33-year-old Adriel Ward was tragically cut short in Des Moines, Iowa. On the evening of February 11th, the Black / African American man was driving his car when he was shot. The vehicle then crashed in the 1700 block of Delaware Avenue. Ward's death was classified as a homicide, leaving his family and the community searching for answers.
Adriel, known affectionately as "AD," was a husband and a father. He had married his longtime companion and best friend, Emily, in October of 2015. He was a doting father to his daughter, born in 2002, and was deeply involved in her life, sharing her passion for softball. He was remembered for his charismatic and goofy personality, his infectious laugh, and a smile that could light up a room.
Originally from Pontiac, Michigan, Adriel had moved to Des Moines with his brother at the age of 15. He graduated from East High School in 2001, where he had been a talented all-around athlete. He later found his passion in auto body painting and earned a certification from Des Moines Area Community College. He went on to become a sheet metal worker and was in the process of obtaining his journeyman's license.
In the months following his death, the investigation into Adriel Ward's murder proved to be a difficult one for the Des Moines Police Department. The case was hampered by a lack of witnesses, and authorities believed that it was likely that his killer did not know him personally. As of May 2017, no arrests had been made and no suspects had been publicly identified. The case remained an unsolved homicide, leaving his wife haunted by the fact that the person responsible was still at large. The police expressed their frustration with the case and urged anyone with information to come forward to bring a sense of justice to Adriel's grieving family.
