Rodney Neil Winston Jr. was shot to death inside a Merriam duplex in the early morning hours of March 27, 2022. Officers responding to a disturbance call around 5 a.m. located the 26-year-old inside a residence near West 52nd Street and Knox Avenue; he had sustained a fatal gunshot wound. He was known to the people living in the duplex but did not live there.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 20, 1995, to Rodney and Nadia Winston, he was known as Junior. He attended St. Agnes Elementary and graduated from Bishop Miege High School. He worked for Zipco Company for more than two years and helped run the family business, Winston Quality Cleaning Service. He was a devoted father to son Mateo and daughters Amelia and Arianna and enjoyed basketball.

The Merriam Police Department opened a homicide investigation and says it has identified all individuals involved, but no arrests have been announced and the case remains open. If anyone has information that could help, contact the Merriam Police Department or the TIPS Hotline.