Map: See where Lexington homicides have occurred in 2024, which cases are still open
A Lexington activist was killed on Dec. 1, in Lexington’s second homicide of that weekend.
Quaynell King, 44, died after being shot on Versailles Road.
The Lexington Police Department was called to the 1800 block of Versailles Road regarding shots fired at about 8:44 p.m. that night, police said in a news release.
Twelve of the 20 homicides cases have resulted in an arrest, according to police data.
In 2023, Lexington reported 24 homicides, fewer than the record-breaking year of 2022, when 44 killings took place. The last time Lexington reported 24 or fewer homicides in a year was in 2018, according to Lexington police data, which dates back to 2008.
In the past 10 years, the city has reported 24 or fewer homicides only three times, according to Lexington police records.
In an interview with the Herald-Leader, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers acknowledged progress is being made, but said he wants to work toward getting the city to eliminate homicides.
“I’m always going to expect it to be zero,” Weathers said. “To me, that’s the progress I look for.”
One fatal shooting in 2024 was determined to be justifiable or non-criminal, Lexington police said on April 4.
On Jan. 21 officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of McClain Drive for a report of a shooting with a victim. Officers found Quante Johnson, 29, shot and he was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The shooting was initially labeled as a homicide, but investigators later determined that the shooting was justifiable, according to police.
Another fatal incident that was previously being investigated as a homicide was removed from Lexington police’s homicide investigations list and later determined to be a non-criminal act, police confirmed on June 28.
The incident happened on May 4 on the 2100 block of Christian Road. Police previously said officers were responding to a report of person down and found David Rhineheimer, 43 suffering from apparent blunt force trauma. Rhineheimer died at a local hospital the next day.
Police originally said detectives from the Personal Crimes Section were investigating the death as a homicide. Months after the incident police said the Fayette County Coroner’s Office ruled Rhineheimer’s death as non-criminal and the investigation was no longer a homicide investigation.
Blunt force trauma was listed as Rhineheimer’s cause of death in the coroner’s preliminary report.
As more homicides are reported, the Herald-Leader will update this story to reflect the latest information known. Here is what we know about the deadly incidents which have occurred in Lexington in 2024:
Dec. 1: Quaynell King, 44
Quaynell King, 44, died after being shot on Versailles Road on Dec. 1, in Lexington’s second homicide of that weekend.
The Lexington Police Department was called to the 1800 block of Versailles Road regarding shots fired at about 8:44 p.m. that night, police said in a news release.
Tiquan Anderson, 20, was arrested Wednesday and charged with murder, first-degree wanton endangerment and first-degree criminal mischief, Lexington Police said.
Nov. 30: Gregory Williams, 35
Officers were dispatched around 6:45 p.m. Nov. 30 to the 1000 block of Chinoe Road for a shooting. Gregory Williams, 35, was found with a gunshot wound, and he died later at a hospital.
Jeremiah Mitchell and Alexis Compton are wanted in connection to the homicide.
Nov. 16: Chance Gist, 25
The shooting happened at the 1500 block of North Limestone Street. Two people were shot, and Chance Gist, 25, later died at the hospital.
No suspect information was made available after the shooting.
Oct. 24: Jadyn Sleet, 20
The shooting happened on the 3600 block of Tates Creek Road. Two men were shot and one was declared dead at the scene.
No suspect information was made available after the shooting.
Oct. 19: Dion Higgins, 24
The shooting happened on the block of 400 East Fifth Street. Higgins was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.
There have been no arrests in the case.
Oct. 3: Juan Angel Martinez-Bustos, 18
Juan Angel Martinez-Bustos, 18, died from a gunshot wound, according to the Fayette Coroner Gary Ginn.
Ginn ruled the death a homicide.
The shooting took place Oct. 3 on Devonport Drive, according to Ginn. Martinez-Bustos was transported to the University of Kentucky Hospital, where he died.
Sept. 27: Jaquan Grundy, 25
Officers were called to the 1400 block of Russell Cave Road around 2 a.m. Friday regarding a shooting. They found Jaquan Grundy, 25, of Louisville, with a gunshot wound; he was taken to a hospital, where he later died, police said.
Police are investigating Steven McGaughy, as a suspect in this case. He has been charged with murder, first degree wanton endangerment and first-degree criminal mischief
Sept. 15: Jose Manuel Salazar, 60
The shooting happened just after 8 p.m. on the 700 block of Biskoff Court. Police said they received a call in reference to a shooting when they located a man with a gunshot wound.
The victim, 60-year-old Jose Manuel Salazar, died later at a local hospital. The investigation is ongoing, and no suspect information has been released.
Sept. 8: Esmeralda Rodriguez, 28
Rodriguez was shot around 1 a.m. on the 300 block of Betsy Lane. She was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Two men, Brian Marquez Chavez, 21, and Kevin Marquez Chavez, 18, are wanted in connection to the homicide. Police said they face charges of murder, attempted murder, first-degree wanton endangerment and criminal mischief.
Sept. 3: Deonte Logan, 30
The shooting happened on the 2000 block of Cambridge Drive. Logan was taken to a local hospital and later pronounced dead, according to police.
Xavier Walker, 28, was arrested five days later and charged with murder, first-degree robbery and possession of a firearm by convicted felon. He was previously convicted of robbery twice in the past 10 years, according to court records.
Aug. 20: Daquan Collins, 24
The shooting happened shortly after 5 p.m. on the 900 block of Delaware Avenue. Police said they received a report of a “verbal disorder between two male subjects. Officers were then advised that a subject had been shot.”
Collins later died at a hospital and the suspect, 29-year-old Luis Ramos, was arrested on scene, according to police. Ramos was charged with murder and using restricted ammunition during commission of a crime, as well as unrelated warrants.
Aug. 8: Antoine Clay, 31
Shortly after midnight police were dispatched to the 700 block of National Avenue for a shooting with several victims. Police said six people were shot, one of which later died at a hospital.
No suspect information was provided shortly after the shooting, according to police.
July 19: C’aveyoun Robinson, 16
Around 4:56 a.m. officers were dispatched to the 1800 block of Liberty Road for a report of a shooting with a victim. When they arrived they found Robinson dead from a gunshot wound inside a vehicle.
Less than a week after the shooting police said Robert Constant, 36, has an active warrant for murder and convicted felon in possession of a handgun in connection to the shooting. On Aug. 28 Constant was arrested and booked into the Fayette County Detention Center.
June 21: Charles McDowell, 57
McDowell was declared dead at the scene of a homicide on the 100 block of Old Georgetown Street. Police arrested Roger Wiley, 55, and charged him with murder and second-degree assault.
Lexington police detective Josh Phillips later testified that Wiley used a large piece of landscaping timber with screws and nails attached to the end of it during the assault.
June 4: Antonio Taylor, 48
Taylor was shot on the 500 block of Newtown Pike. He was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, where he later died, according to police.
Police did not have any information about a possible suspect immediately after the shooting, but said police believe the shooting was “a targeted incident” and not a random act.
On June 7 Shawnika Gill, 48, was arrested by the US Marshals Service Central Kentucky Fugitive Task Force, the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office in in Hamilton County, Ohio and charged with murder.
May 17: Russell Houston, 50
Houston was declared dead at the scene of a fatal shooting on the 700 block of Dakota Street on May 17. Police previously said they did not have any information about a suspect later that evening.
A few days later Sheri Phillips, 35, was arrested and charged with murder, according to police.
April 30: Devin Chenault, 37
An officer was patrolling the area of Shropshire Avenue and E. Third Street shortly after midnight when they found a vehicle blocking the intersection, according to police. The officer investigated and found Chenault dead with a gunshot wound.
Police originally said they were treating the incident as a death investigation but provided a later update saying it was now being investigated as a homicide. Later on in the day police arrested Jerrico Roberts, 36, and charged him with murder in connection with Chenault’s death.
April 4: Dennis Trujillo Jr., 18
The shooting happened around 1:37 a.m. on the 400 block of Carlisle Avenue. Police said they were responding to a report of shots fired and when they arrived they found Trujillo with a gunshot wound.
Trujillo was declared dead on scene, according to police. Just over a month after the shooting Lexington police arrested Wilmer Romero, 18, and charged him with murder.
March 8: Kenlon Johnson, 17
The shooting happened on the 2400 block of Rockaway Place in the Masterson Station neighborhood. Police said Johnson was shot and sent to a local hospital, where he later died.
No suspect information was provided immediately following the shooting. In October police arrested Jon’tay Mattingly, 19, and charged him with murder.
Feb. 3: Chadrick Boone, 31
Boone was shot in the early morning hours on the 900 block of Winchester Road, according to police. He was taken to the University of Kentucky Hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries.
On June 7 police said Kyshawn Owens, 28, was arrested by the US Marshals Service NY/NJ Task Force and the Yonkers Police Department in Yonkers, New York and charged with murder.
This story was originally published February 5, 2024 at 7:26 AM.
