In the quiet suburb of Hazelwood, Missouri, a tragic event unfolded on the evening of November 27, 2022, leading to the death of 65-year-old John Whitney. Hazelwood police responded to a call around 7:30 p.m. at the Hazelcrest apartment complex located in the 7500 block of Hazelcrest Drive. Upon arrival, officers discovered Whitney inside his apartment, suffering from a gunshot wound.
Though injured, he was able to communicate with the investigators.
Initially, Whitney told the police that he had been shot by an unknown assailant while he was outside walking his dog. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment, but he later succumbed to his injuries. The narrative of a random act of violence, however, soon unraveled as the investigation progressed. A female witness came forward with a starkly different account of the events that transpired that evening.
The witness informed officers that the shooting had not occurred outside, but rather inside the condominium shared by Whitney and his son. She identified the shooter as Whitney's own son, 40-year-old John Darnell Lee. Her testimony was consistent with the evidence that was collected at the scene of the crime. Faced with this new information, investigators interviewed Lee, who subsequently admitted to shooting his father. Following his confession, John Darnell Lee was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of his father, John Whitney.
