In the Russell neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, a tragic discovery was made on the morning of April 28, 2017. The body of 19-year-old Jaquay D. Rodgers, a Black male, was found in an alley behind a grassy area near South 31st Street and River Park Drive. He had been fatally shot, marking the 40th criminal homicide investigated by the Louisville Metro Police that year.
The grim finding was made around 10 a.m., and Rodgers was pronounced dead at the scene.
The location where Rodgers' body was discovered was known to residents for illegal dumping and, unsettlingly, had been the site of at least two other homicide discoveries in the past. The incident drew the attention of community activists concerned about the escalating violence in the city. At the time, they expressed frustration and questioned the root causes of such violence happening in broad daylight. Investigators were hopeful that cameras installed in the area to deter illegal dumping might provide crucial evidence.
Despite the ongoing investigation by the Louisville Metro Police Department, years have passed without any publicly identified suspects or arrests in connection with Jaquay D. Rodgers' murder. His case is one of many unsolved homicides from that year. His mother, Sherisa Rodgers, continues to seek justice for her son, holding on to hope that those responsible will one day be found. The family, including his grandmother and two sisters, has been left to grapple with the profound loss of a young man described as laid-back, full of life, and always ready with a laugh or a joke. As time moves forward, the plea for information from the public remains, with law enforcement urging anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward.
