Carlos Gonzalez

Carlos Gonzalez was a 17-year-old Hispanic male who was a respected student and a leader on and off the football field at J.C. Harmon High School. Raised by his older sister, Maria Rodriguez, after their mother’s death years earlier, Carlos was a junior who loved his family, enjoyed being an uncle, and played multiple sports. His football coach described him as a great athlete who would take on any challenge for his teammates. He had recently started a new job at UPS and was excited about his future. His girlfriend remembered him often saying, “live in the moment. You know, tomorrow is not always promised.”

In the early morning hours of Thursday, March 7, 2024, Carlos and his best friend, 19-year-old Kalob Ruth, were together in a wooded area somewhere within the city limits of Kansas City, Missouri. Under circumstances that remain unknown, both teenagers were shot. They were not discovered by emergency services at the scene but were instead transported by a private vehicle to the University of Kansas Medical Center. Police were dispatched to the hospital around 12:45 a.m. after staff reported the arrival of the two gunshot victims.

Despite receiving emergency medical care, both Carlos Gonzalez and Kalob Ruth were pronounced dead at the hospital. The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department immediately launched a double homicide investigation, focusing on the wooded area where they believed the shooting occurred.

On the day of the shooting, detectives took an adult male into custody for questioning and announced at the time that they were not looking for any other persons of interest. However, investigators later confirmed that the man had been released and no charges were filed. No other arrests have been made in the case. His sister Maria said, “I do want to know what happened, and we want justice for my little brother.” As of March 2024, the investigation into the deaths of Carlos Gonzalez and Kalob Ruth remains open and unsolved.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).