William L. Patton, a well-liked and ambitious 20-year-old man, was just beginning to build his future when his life was violently taken. Born on September 14, 2001, in Parsons, Kansas, William was a longtime resident of the Pittsburg, Kansas, area before recently moving to Joplin, Missouri. He was known for being very loved and liked by almost everyone he met. His family and friends remember him as an active and engaged person from a young age. Growing up, he participated in a wide range of activities, including karate, football, basketball, wrestling, and baseball. He also enjoyed riding horses and attending shodeos with his aunt.
As a young adult, William, a White male, cherished spending time with family and friends at his lake house and going to sporting events. He attended schools in the Pittsburg and Girard area, including Pittsburg High School.
He had an entrepreneurial spirit and was in the process of starting his own business, a long-held goal he planned to launch in the spring of 2022. He was survived by his parents, two sisters, three nephews, a niece, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and a large circle of close friends who he considered family.
The night that ended William’s life began in the early morning hours of Wednesday, March 16, 2022. Just before 2:30 a.m., the Joplin Police Department received a 911 call reporting the sound of gunshots in the area of 24th Street and Wall Avenue. When officers from the Joplin Police Department and deputies from the Jasper and Newton County Sheriff's Departments arrived at the scene, they discovered William suffering from gunshot wounds.
Emergency medical services were dispatched to the location and immediately transported William to a local hospital for treatment. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. His death was quickly classified as a homicide, prompting an immediate and intensive investigation by the Joplin Police Department. The area where he was found is a mix of residential and commercial properties in the southern part of the city.
In the days following the shooting, authorities publicly identified William Patton as the victim but released few other details about the circumstances of the crime. The investigation into who shot William and why remains shrouded in mystery. As of the latest available reports from March 2022, no suspects have been publicly identified, no persons of interest have been named, and no arrests have been made in connection with the case. Police have not disclosed information regarding a potential motive or what may have led to the fatal encounter.
In their grief, William's loved ones gathered to remember a life cut short. A visitation was held on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at Brenner Mortuary in Pittsburg, Kansas, followed by a memorial service the next day at the Living Faith Church near Girard. The services drew many who knew and loved him, reflecting the obituary's sentiment that he was "well-liked by nearly all he met." The loss was deeply felt in both the Joplin community where he had recently settled and the Pittsburg area where he had spent most of his life.
The homicide of William L. Patton remains an open and active investigation. Authorities have not released any further updates, and the case has grown cold with no publicly announced leads. The questions of who took William's life and the reasons behind the violent act continue to haunt his family and friends. The Joplin Police Department has not announced any reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.
