In the early hours of November 27, 2016, the life of 29-year-old Caucasian male Louis M. Scherzer was tragically cut short in Kansas City, Kansas. A beloved union steward for the Board of Public Utilities, he was known for his generous and affable nature. Scherzer was at his favorite local spot, Chicago's bar, located in the 600 block of Central Avenue, spending time with a gathering of friends and family, including his fiancée, Ellie Long.
Stepping outside the bar around 12:30 a.m.,
Scherzer was confronted in an alley by two young men. The encounter was a botched robbery attempt that quickly turned fatal. When Scherzer turned to get away, he was shot in the back. Officers arriving at the scene found him on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to Truman Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries. The community was left in shock and mourning for a man described as a "finer citizen." Many of his friends and family later wore shirts that read "Live Like Lou" in his honor.
The investigation into Scherzer's murder led to the swift identification and arrest of two suspects. Efrain Gonzalez, who was 18 years old at the time of the incident, and Filiberto Espinoza Jr., who was 20, were both charged with first-degree murder. Espinoza pleaded guilty in September 2017 and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison, with the first possibility of parole after 25 years. In March 2018, a Wyandotte County jury found Efrain Gonzalez guilty of first-degree murder. He too received a life sentence and will be required to serve 25 years before being eligible for parole.
