Who murdered Kiley Kennedy? Eureka high school student's body found on Missouri road
PACIFIC, MISSOURI: The body of an 18-year-old teenager was found with a gunshot wounder to her chest, near Missouri highway on December 1. The victim was later identified as 18-year old Eureka High School student Kiley Kennedy. The Major Case Squad of Greater St Louis and the Franklin County Sheriff's Office jointly spoke at a press conference on December 3 and provided an update. Officials said the Sheriff's Department received a 911 phone call at 7:05 am, December 1, about a young woman lying on the ground in the area of Highway 100 and Country Aire Drive. After arriving at the scene, deputies found Kennedy lying face down. According to Major Squad spokesman Lt. Tom Wilkinson, Kennedy's death was being investigated as a homicide. 30 detectives worked to determine a person(s) of interest and two 16-year-old boys have been arrested in this case.
There has been a surge in gun-related incidents involving teenagers, in the recent past. A Texas boy aged 15 was charged with murder after he fatally shot his mother Aime Salinas-Alvarado, 47, who was holding her grandchild. Following the brutal murder, the accused dropped off the kid at the great-grandparents' house and left. More recently, Ethan Crumbley, a student of Oxford High School in Michigan went on a rampage and fatally shot Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; Hana St. Julian, 14; and Justin Shilling, 17, according to Oakland County Sheriff's Office. He also critically injured eight others, including a teacher.
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Who was Kiley Kennedy?
Farmington resident Kiley Kennedy, a senior in the Rockwood School District was about to graduate high school in spring 2022. Her brother Logan revealed on his Facebook page that Kiley was like his daughter and his best friend. She was a skateboarder, a dance, and an animal lover. She was a people's person and loved by everyone around her, he said. "My dog loved you a lot too," he wrote in a post. "I remember you played ball with him, which was his favorite, and I remember you chasing each other through grandma's house." Officials have revealed that the two teenagers who are in custody have been charged with second-degree murder by the Franklin County Family Court. Police also found a 9 mm pistol which is believed to be the murder weapon. Wilkinson said she was led to the murder location by the suspects who then got into an argument with her over narcotics and money after which she was shot. He also said that investigators are still to determine the relationship Kennedy shared with the boys who were students as well but not within Rockwood. Kennedy's family has asked for grace for the suspected killers.
On behalf of the family, Logan said in a statement, "At this time a lot of people are wanting justice, and our family wants justice too, however, we have to extend grace." The statement continues, "The person that did this is human, and made a huge mistake, that has broken the lives of many." He added, "However, we cannot turn my sister's life into darkness. We must pray for the person or persons involved. Pray that God turns their life around and uses this for good. Light, forgiveness and life cancel out death, and darkness and heavy burdens. Please respect my family at this time of grief."