Rodney Byther, 17, was fatally shot on April 18, 2017, while standing outside his home on Ventura Drive near Catalina Drive in Jackson, Mississippi. Police say he suffered a single, fatal gunshot wound to the back; first responders could not save him. His family called the death unexpected and heartbreaking in his obituary.

Byther was counted as Jackson’s 19th homicide of 2017. Hours later and just blocks away another man, Zachary Gustavis, was killed in a drive-by shooting, though authorities did not publicly link the two incidents at the time.

Whoever has information about Rodney’s killing or the circumstances around Ventura Drive that night is asked to come forward.