Joseph Bowser Jr., 22, was found fatally shot outside the River Apartments in Battle Creek, Michigan, in the early morning hours of March 24, 2018. He was a Western Michigan University engineering student expected to graduate in 2019 and a graduate of Battle Creek Central High School, where he had been in the National Honor Society and was homecoming king. Family and friends remember him for an infectious smile and kind nature; he played soccer, football, basketball and track.

Bowser had been with a friend the night before his body was found; that friend was interviewed by Battle Creek Police detectives. Despite investigative efforts and continued work by detectives, no suspects have been publicly identified and no arrests have been made. The case went cold and remains unsolved. His mother has been a vocal advocate for justice and the family has organized events, including a memorial basketball tournament, to keep his memory alive and to encourage tips.

If anyone has information about Joseph Bowser’s death or the night of March 23–24, 2018, please contact the Battle Creek Police Department.