With days remaining in 2021, Springfield sits at 26 homicides. Here's what we know.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story, citing police, stated that several of these cases had been submitted to prosecutor's for review for potential charges. The police chief later clarified that four of those cases are still open investigations.
As 2021 comes to an end, it was another high year for violent deaths in Springfield.
The Springfield Police Department has investigated 26 homicides this year. Of the investigations into those homicides, 13 have led to criminal charges being filed.
Some of this year's homicides, like the three officer-involved shootings, might not end up meeting the FBI’s definition of murder, which excludes things like justified and accidental killings.
The 2021 numbers follow a trend that began last year when the city saw 28 killings, of which 22 ended up meeting the FBI definition of a murder. Prior to 2020, the highest number of murders Springfield had seen in a year was 16.
Cities across the country have been dealing with an increase in homicides. A study from the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice (NCCCJ) said in the first quarter of 2021 alone homicides rose by 24 percent compared to the same time period in 2020.
Professor Richard Rosenfeld of the University of Missouri – St. Louis, who works with NCCCJ, said looking at the numbers from this year helps support what he and many other researchers had concluded last year.
More:After deadliest year ever, what's being done to keep people safe in Springfield?
“The new data reinforces our earlier conclusions,” Rosenfeld said in a statement. “As the pandemic subsides, lasting reductions in violence and crime will require cities to adopt evidence-based crime-control strategies, supplemented with long-needed reforms to policing.”
This increase in homicides is a phenomenon experts say is compounded by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in gun violence nationwide.
During a presentation to Springfield’s city council in October, Police Chief Paul Williams, while noting he supports the Second Amendment, attributed the increase in gun violence in Springfield over the last few years to a change state lawmakers made in 2017 that did away with the permit requirement for carrying a concealed firearm. The change, according to Williams, led to an increase in the number of residents carrying guns at any given time.
“If they put a gun in their car without thinking about it and without training, there’s just a lot more opportunity to use it when they get into an argument or some other situation where they normally wouldn’t have access...” Williams said. “This was going to create a more violent society.”
More:Springfield police chief talks gun laws, jail crowding and more in report to city council
Of the 26 homicides in Springfield this year, 22 involved a gun.
Below is a list of the violent deaths in Springfield this year, as well as a brief description of what happened:
February
Feb. 1: Chandler Sweaney, 23, was shot and killed in the 2800 block of West Chestnut Street. Paul Morales, Timothy Johnson and Rickey Rose were all arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Rose was Sweaney’s roommate, and it is believed that Johnson and Morales came to the residence to rob Rose, who was a drug dealer. It is not believed that Sweaney was involved in any illegal activities.
Feb 6: Robert Moffett, 32, was shot multiple times at the intersection of Patton Avenue and Walnut Street in downtown Springfield. He died at the hospital. Thomas Haynes, of Florida, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in July.
Feb. 26: Stanley Taylor, 43, was shot and killed in the 1300 block of North Concord Avenue. No arrests have been announced in connection with this case.
Feb. 27: Cory McHaffie, 31, died of injuries sustained in a shooting in the 900 block of South Avenue. Zachary Dunbar was arrested and charged with second-degree murder after allegedly getting in a fight with McHaffie earlier that night.
March
March 25: Dylan Hill, 26, was shot and killed in a room at the Welcome Inn located in the 3500 block of East Evergreen Street. Matthew Borg was arrested and charged with second-degree murder as well as other felonies.
April
April 8: Dominique Lucious, 26, was shot and killed in her apartment in the 900 block of North Main Avenue. Charles Nelson, who had been talking to Lucious on a dating app, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
April 21: Jacob Rowden, 28, died of injuries he sustained during a shooting in the 1000 block of South Stewart Avenue. Cody Browning was arrested and charged with second-degree murder after allegedly arguing with Rowden earlier that night for stealing his cell phone.
April 29: Ryan King, 47, was shot to death outside of a home in the 2200 block of North Kellett Avenue. Police identified a suspect and arrested him on suspicion of second-degree murder. However, the prosecutor’s office opted not to file any criminal charges at that time. Chief Williams said his detectives have finished their investigation and are completing the reports before submitting the case to prosecutors.
May
May 17: James Kenney, 41, was shot and killed in his home in the 3200 block of West Page Street, in what investigators called a gang-related shooting. Justin Murphy and John Hilt were arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Murphy and Hilt belonged to the Family Values gang, while Kenney belonged the Southwest Honkies gang. Both groups are defined as white supremacist prison gangs.
May 20: Bobby Gooch Jr., 18, died as result of injuries he sustained during shooting in the 1600 block of East Chestnut Street. No arrests have been announced in connection with this case. Chief Williams said his detectives have finished their investigation and are completing the reports before submitting the case to prosecutors.
June
June 9: Christopher Kuder, 42, was shot in the 1400 block of East Atlantic Street. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died. Mickal Johnson was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
June 10: Travis Rogers, 44, was shot in the 1400 block of North Broadway Avenue. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died nine days later of his injuries. No arrests have been announced in connection with this case. Chief Williams said the case has been submitted to prosecutors for them to review for potential charges.
July
July 14: Tanner Stichka, 33, was shot and killed at the Walmart Neighborhood in the 1300 block of South Glenstone Avenue. Chief Williams said this shooting has been ruled justified by the prosecutor's office.
August
Aug. 5: Calvin James III, 34, was found with a gunshot wound at the intersection of Campbell Avenue and Sunshine Street after police responded to car accident he was involved in. He later died of his injuries after being taken to the hospital. Another man was also shot, but his injuries were not life-threatening. No arrests have been announced in connection with this case.
Aug. 13: Jason Masters, 41, was shot in the parking lot of the Conoco Village Mart located in 2700 block of West Kearney Street. He died at the hospital. Garrett Eagle and Cody Westmoreland were arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
Aug. 25: Larry Woods, 74, died from injuries he suffered in what police described as an assault near his apartment on West Walnut Lawn Street. Jacob DeJong was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
Aug. 28: Judy Bishop, 79, was found in her home in the 200 block of West Atlantic Street with serious injuries and later died at the hospital. Her grandson, Brandon Wilson, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder among other felonies.
September
Sept. 1: Ronald Himmelberg, 64, was found with injuries from an assault on Sept. 1 in an Applebee's parking lot in the 2400 block of North Glenstone Avenue. He was transported to a hospital where he died of his injuries 11 days later. Police identified a suspect, but no arrests or charges have been announced. Chief Williams said his detectives have finished their investigation and are completing the reports before submitting the case to prosecutors.
October
Oct. 7: I’Shon Dunham, 17, was shot during a drug deal in the 400 block of East Norton Road and died at the scene due to his injuries. Antonio Meanus, 30 of Springfield, and a 16-year-old male were both arrested in connection to the shooting. Meanus was charged with felony murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Oct. 17: Douglas Knakmuhs, 40, was shot and killed by police during a hostage situation in the 1800 block of West Elm Street. The officer who shot Knakmuhs was placed on administrative leave while the Springfield Police Department investigated the incident. Chief Williams said this shooting has been ruled justified by the prosecutor's office.
Oct. 24: Robert Eagleburger, 43, Springfield, was shot in the 1100 block of West Lynn Street. He was taken to the hospital where he later died of his injuries. Police quickly identified and interviewed a suspect, but charges have not been filed.
November
Nov. 11: Seth Rynio, 21 of Lebanon, was shot and killed by police during an altercation near the Downing Street Pour House in the 1700 block of East Battlefield Road. Police say Rynio shot a park ranger during the encounter. The officers who shot Rynio were placed on administrative leave while the Springfield Police Department investigated the incident. Chief Williams said this shooting has been ruled justified by the prosecutor's office.
Nov. 21: Mathew Turner, 38 of Springfield, was shot and killed at a home in the 800 block of East Morningside Street. Police quickly identified and interviewed a suspect, but charges have not yet been filed. Chief Williams said his detectives are waiting on some forensic evidence before completing their investigation.
December
Dec. 4: Trevor Hale, 41 of Springfield, was shot and killed in the 2200 block of South Fremont Avenue. No arrests have been announced in this case.
Dec. 6: Lavona Haddock, 61 of Springfield, was shot and killed in her home in the 2000 block of North Marion Avenue. Her boyfriend, Lilburn Motley, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Dec. 23: Richard McCormick, 62 of Springfield, was shot and killed by officers during an incident in the 200 block of East Norton Road. The officers were placed on administrative leave while the Springfield Police Department investigated the incident.
Jordan Meier covers public safety for the Springfield News-Leader. Contact her at jmeier@news-leader.com, (417) 597-7663 or on Twitter @Jordan_Meier644