In the early morning hours of September 27, 2020, a dispute that began at the Country Palace bar on North Market Street in Kokomo, Indiana, tragically escalated, leading to the death of 23-year-old Cody Kuefner, a white male. The incident reportedly started as an altercation and a hit-and-run, continuing to a property in the 2400 block of North Washington Street.
It was there that the confrontation reached its fatal climax.
At approximately 4:42 a.m., police were dispatched to the area of Fisher and North Washington Street following reports of a shooting. Investigators learned that during the ongoing altercation involving several individuals, a man brandished a firearm and fired a single shot. That one bullet struck two people: Cody Kuefner and 34-year-old James D. Conwell. Both men were transported to St. Vincent Hospital in Kokomo for treatment. While Conwell was treated for his injuries, Kuefner succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced deceased at approximately 5:22 a.m.
Following the incident, authorities arrested Daniel R. Bray Jr., a 34-year-old resident of Kokomo. Bray was taken into custody and transported to the Howard County Jail. He faced several initial charges in connection with Kuefner's death, including Voluntary Manslaughter, a Level 2 Felony; Reckless Homicide, a Level 5 Felony; and Criminal Recklessness, a Level 6 Felony. Additionally, he was charged with Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated with a BAC of. 15 or more, a Class A misdemeanor.
Cody Kuefner was a 2016 graduate of Western High School and had served for a time in the US Army and National Guard. He was remembered by loved ones for his love of cars and trucks, and for his job as a bouncer and security at the Country Palace. The investigation into the shooting was handled by the Kokomo Police Department and the Howard County Coroner's Office, who scheduled an autopsy to be performed.
