Kenneth Jay Mathews

Kenneth Jay Mathews, a 46-year-old White man from Joplin, Missouri, was a father, brother, and uncle who had many friends who considered him family. His life was cut short on the evening of May 16, 2022, in a sudden act of violence that unfolded in a Joplin neighborhood.

At approximately 6:06 p.m., Mathews was walking with a friend, Kristopher Culbertson, in the 400 block of South Connor Avenue when someone opened fire on them. Mathews was struck by multiple gunshots and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Culbertson also suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition, though he ultimately survived his injuries. Witnesses reported that the person or people responsible fled the area immediately after the shooting in a dark-colored passenger vehicle.

The Joplin Police Department’s Emergency Communications Center had received a 911 call reporting gunshots, and dispatchers were updated that two people had been shot while officers were on their way. Upon arrival, police secured the scene and launched a homicide investigation. An autopsy for Mathews was later conducted in Ozark, Missouri.

For more than two years, the case remained a top priority for investigators. Detectives followed up on more than 60 leads and continued to seek information from the public, but the killing remained unsolved. The investigation continued, however, and eventually led to a significant breakthrough more than four years after the shooting.

In August 2026, Joplin police took a man from Kansas City into custody as a suspect in the murder of Kenneth Jay Mathews. Following the arrest, the case entered the legal system. As of August 2026, the case is proceeding through litigation.