In a quiet neighborhood in Lee's Summit, Missouri, the tranquility was shattered on the afternoon of June 9, 2022, by what some residents initially mistook for fireworks. The sounds, however, were gunshots that marked the tragic end for 33-year-old David William Trenchard and his sister, Jennifer. David, a man known for his deep faith and love for his family, was found deceased in his family's home on Northeast Oakwood Drive.
David was a graduate of Lee's Summit North High School, where
he was a member of the tennis team. He went on to earn degrees in Business Administration from Longview Community College and Columbia College. An Eagle Scout and a member of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, he was remembered as a kind and loving person who enjoyed the outdoors and was actively involved in his church and community. He shared a close bond with his sister, often accompanying her on photography trips.
The investigation by the Lee's Summit Police Department quickly identified the suspect as the victims' own father, 69-year-old William Trenchard. It was determined that he had shot both of his children before turning the gun on himself in an attempted suicide. When authorities arrived at the residence, they found David and Jennifer deceased. William Trenchard was discovered alive but with critical, self-inflicted injuries.
William Trenchard was transported to a local hospital and placed on life support. The motive for the devastating act remained unclear to investigators, leaving a community in shock and a family shattered by the inexplicable loss of two of its members at the hands of their own father. The case was classified as a double-murder and attempted suicide, with no other suspects being sought. David's mother was reportedly at work at the time of the incident and was not physically harmed.
