Do you know who murdered John Moody? John Alan Moody was a young man of 23 who, despite having no permanent address, had deep roots and family in the Springfield and Morrisville areas of Missouri. Born on June 14, 1975, in Leavenworth, Kansas, John was the son of Cindy Griffitts and James H. Moody. He had a sister, Judy, a stepfather, Greg Griffitts, and step-grandparents, Anna Lea and Larry Griffitts. For about a decade, he had moved between the two Missouri communities. In his memory, his family suggested that memorial contributions be made to the Southwest Missouri Humane Society, hinting at a love for animals in the young man’s life.
The last week of October 1998 marked the final known chapter of John's life. On Monday, October 26, he donated plasma. The next day, he spoke with his mother on the phone, making plans to attend an upcoming family gathering. However, John never showed up for the event. The Springfield Police Department believes he was killed on Wednesday, October 28.
Investigators theorized that he may have been at local bars that night and hoped someone who had been drinking with him would come forward with information, but that crucial witness never emerged. After that night, John’s family and friends heard nothing from him.
Nearly three weeks later, on the morning of November 17, 1998, the tragic mystery of his disappearance came to a grim end. At 11:46 a.m., an employee at the Conco Quarry, located at 1111 E. Trafficway in Springfield, spotted a body floating in the water and called the police. First responders arrived and recovered the body of a deceased male, soon identified as John Moody. It was clear he had been in the water for a significant amount of time.
An autopsy later confirmed that John’s life had been taken by violence. He had been shot twice. Initial observations suggested he might have been severely beaten, but investigators later concluded that the injuries to his face were most likely sustained when his body was thrown into the quarry after his death. The official cause of death was ruled a homicide by gunshot wound.
The Springfield Police Department launched an extensive investigation into John's murder, case number 98-54788. Detectives worked to piece together a timeline, but the three-week gap between his likely date of death and the discovery of his body presented a significant challenge. They learned he had a history of minor legal troubles, including some outstanding misdemeanor warrants from the mid-1990s, but it was unclear if this had any connection to his death.
Despite their efforts, the investigation yielded few substantial leads. No suspects have ever been publicly identified, and no arrests have ever been made in connection with the murder of John Moody. The lack of witnesses and physical evidence left investigators with a case that grew colder with each passing year, leaving his family with unanswered questions and the enduring pain of not knowing who was responsible for their loss or why his life was cut short.
Decades later, the case remains an unsolved homicide on the files of the Springfield Police Department's cold case unit. The location where John was found, once a quarry, has since been redeveloped, a testament to how much time has passed. Yet, for John's loved ones, the quest for justice is frozen in time, waiting for a new piece of information that might finally solve this long-standing mystery. The police continue to encourage anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. 
