Kenlance Wherry, known to his friends and family as "Duke," was remembered as a cool, laid-back man with a talent for making people laugh. A friend who knew him since elementary school recalled his humor in the classroom and the void his absence created. He was a father to a son, Elijah, and is still deeply missed by the mother of his child, Kimberly Criss, who years later recalled their son talking about things his father had taught him. Mr. Wherry, a 34-year-old African-American man, was a part of the fabric of his Milwaukee, Wisconsin community, a friend you could count on and a loving father.
The late spring of 2011 turned tragic on the evening of Sunday, May 29th. In an alley behind a residence on North 38th Street in Milwaukee, Kenlance Wherry was ambushed by two unknown individuals. The encounter was sudden and violent. The assailants opened fire, discharging their weapons multiple times. Mr. Wherry was struck by several bullets and succumbed to his wounds there in the alley. The attack was swift, and the perpetrators vanished before they could be identified, leaving behind a scene of devastating violence.
The Milwaukee Police Department responded to the incident and immediately launched a homicide investigation. Detectives processed the scene in the alley, searching for physical evidence and seeking out potential witnesses who might have seen or heard something that could lead to the killers. However, the case proved difficult from the very beginning. Information was scarce, and despite the efforts of investigators, the identities of the two people responsible for Mr. Wherry's death remained unknown. No arrests were ever made, and no suspects have been publicly named in connection with the shooting.
The neighborhood where the shooting occurred is part of a community that has faced challenges with violence but is also filled with residents committed to creating a safer environment. The year Kenlance Wherry was killed, 2011, came during a period when the city of Milwaukee was working to reduce its overall crime rates, which had seen a decline in the years prior. Yet, each violent act left a deep and lasting scar on the families and communities it touched. The motive behind the ambush in the alley on North 38th Street has never been determined, leaving only unanswered questions for those who knew and loved Kenlance Wherry.
In the years since that night, the investigation into Kenlance Wherry’s murder has grown cold. The initial leads have long since been exhausted, and the case now sits among the city's unresolved homicides, waiting for a new piece of information that could break it open. For his family, the pain remains. The memory of "Duke" is kept alive by his friends and his son, who grew up without his father. They continue to hope that one day, justice will be served and the people who so senselessly cut his life short will be held accountable.
As of the latest information, the murder of Kenlance Wherry remains an open and unsolved case with the Milwaukee Police Department. The passage of time has not diminished his family's desire for answers and closure. Authorities continue to ask that anyone with information regarding the shooting, no matter how insignificant it may seem, come forward. Justice for Kenlance Wherry depends on someone breaking the silence.
