Manuel E. Lars, 32, was found dead in a small wooded area behind a gas station near 59th Street and Swope Parkway in Kansas City on the afternoon of Monday, August 12, 2013. A local resident spotted his body about 12:35 p.m. and alerted police. Investigators concluded the events that led to his death likely occurred the previous night, with detectives estimating he was killed around midnight during an altercation outside the gas station, a place where he was known to spend time.

Police records show multiple calls reporting gunfire in the area beginning about 7:00 p.m. on Sunday and continuing until shortly after 1:00 a.m. on Monday. While two men reportedly exchanged gunfire earlier at the station, detectives believed Lars was struck in a later volley of shots. No motive or specific suspects were released, and the case was later listed among the Kansas City Police Department’s unsolved homicides; online registries and reward offers later sought tips leading to an arrest. Anyone with information is asked to come forward.