John Patrick Winston

Do you know who murdered John Patrick Winston?
John Patrick Winston was a man of deep faith and quiet generosity, known for his compassion and dedication to his family and community. A 63-year-old attorney for the National Automobile Dealers Association, he was a devout Catholic and an active member of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament near his home. Friends and family remembered him as a man who cared deeply for others, particularly the homeless, to whom he often gave his time and resources. In a final act of charity that epitomized his character, a relative recounted that just before arriving home on the night he was killed, Winston had given his last dollar to a person on the street. He was a husband, a respected professional, and a man who lived his principles daily.

The evening of Saturday, October 20, 1990, began with an outing to the theater for Winston, his wife, Jeanni, and his mother-in-law. They returned home to Chevy Chase Circle in Northwest Washington, D.C., around 11:00 p.m. While his wife and her mother went inside, Winston, a Caucasian male, remained in the car in the driveway for a few moments. A passionate lover of liturgical music, he often took a minute to listen before ending his day. Inside the house, Jeanni grew concerned when he didn't follow. Her concern turned to alarm when she heard noises from the driveway, followed by the distinct sound of gunshots. She and her mother rushed back outside to a horrifying scene. They found John Patrick Winston on the ground, suffering from fatal gunshot wounds to his head and chest.

Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the 911 call, but the assailant had already vanished into the night. The initial investigation suggested the motive was a robbery that had turned deadly. Winston's wife told authorities that her husband was not the type of man who would have resisted an attacker, leaving the motive and the violence of the encounter a painful puzzle. Police could not immediately confirm if any of his personal belongings had been taken during the assault. The quiet, affluent neighborhood on the border of D.C. and Maryland was left shaken by the brutal crime that had taken the life of a gentle and respected resident.

The investigation into Winston's murder was launched immediately, but progress was difficult. No suspects were publicly identified, and no arrests were made. The case drew significant attention, prompting a substantial reward for information. In the days following the homicide, the National Automobile Dealers Association, Winston's longtime employer, announced a $50,000 reward for any tip that led to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for his death. This was in addition to the standing reward offered by the Metropolitan Police Department. Despite the financial incentives and pleas from the family for anyone with knowledge to come forward, the case grew cold.

Decades have passed since John Patrick Winston was killed in his own driveway, but his case remains an open and unsolved homicide with the Metropolitan Police Department. The memory of the kind-hearted attorney is kept alive by those who loved him and by the authorities who still seek justice in his name. The community continues to hope that someone will finally break the silence and provide the key piece of information that will solve this senseless crime. The Metropolitan Police Department continues to offer a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this case.