Louisville's September homicide toll worst of any month this year: What we know

Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal
·9 min read
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Police officers in Louisville investigated 20 homicides in September 2022 - marking the deadliest month of the year. All of the victims were shot to death.

An arrest was made in four of the cases as of Oct. 3 and a fifth case has been classified as a murder-suicide.

The second-deadliest month of the year was March, when there were 18 homicides.

How to help: These organizations are working to stop gun violence in Louisville

Help us remember homicide victims: If you feel like sharing anecdotes or photos with us, please email lounews@courierjournal.com.

A map of Louisville's homicides in 2022

Anyone with information about these homicides can contact the Louisville Metro Police anonymous tip line at 502-574-LMPD (5673) or provide information online at p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=563.

By the end September, Louisville had suffered at least 130 homicides in 2022.

What we know about September 2022's homicides:

Two dead in apparent murder-suicide

A man and woman were found dead Sept. 29 near Jeffersontown in what LMPD officials said appears to have been a murder-suicide.

Officers responded to the 9400 block of Doral Court about 9 a.m. and found the man dead outside a vehicle and the woman dead inside the vehicle.

The following day, LMPD indicated the case is classified as a murder-suicide, adding that they "are not yet prepared to release further details regarding how the incident transpired or who may have been the aggressor," the release stated.

The Jefferson County Coroner's Office identified the pair as Marlene Blandon Chamorro, 43, and Fidel Lara-Ruiz, 56. Both died due to asphyxiation, according to the release. They shared the same address.

Man killed in Bonaventure Boulevard shooting

Louisville police are investigating after a fatal shooting was reported Sept. 25 in Okolona.

Seventh Division LMPD officers responded to the 3700 block of Bonaventure Boulevard about 1:45 p.m., according to a statement from department spokesman Dwight Mitchell. There they found a man who had been shot, and he was pronounced dead on site.

The man who was killed not yet been identified, and there have been no arrests.

Fatal shooting on Buechel Bank Road

A homicide was reported in the early morning of Sept. 25 in the Buechel neighborhood.

Sixth Division officers responded to a report of a shooting around midnight, LMPD spokesman Dwight Mitchell said. Police on scene found a male who had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene, in the 2000 block of Buechel Bank Road.

Joe Lewis was arrested in November and charged with murder in the case, according to an LMPD arrest citation. He's pleaded not guilty.

The victim has not been identified by the coroner's office but was identified in Lewis' arrest citation as Davon Bendermon.

Man dead after Jacobs neighborhood shooting

A man was killed in an early morning shooting Sept. 24.

Officers responded to the 3000 block of Manslick Road about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, and they found a man who had been shot, according to a department release. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

His name has not been released by the coroner's office.

Ahmed Nafa Abdul Jabar

Ahmed Nafa Abdul Jabar, 37, died at University of Louisville Hospital on Sept. 23 days after being shot, according to the Jefferson County Coroner's office.

Police said they found Jabar suffering from gunshot wounds after they responded to a shooting on eastbound Interstate 264 around exit 10 at Southern Parkway on Sept. 18. He was taken to the hospital, where he had been in critical condition.

Kierrea Stone-Gonzalez

A 23-year-old woman was found shot to death in Newburg on Sept. 21.

Officers responded to the 5300 block of Rangeland Road just after noon and found Kierrea Stone-Gonzalez shot to death, according to LMPD. Her address was listed as the same as where her body was found, according to the coroner's office.

"At the time, it could not be determined if foul play was involved in the victim’s death," Mitchell said. "The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office conducted an examination and determined that foul play in fact was involved."

On Dec. 15, LMPD said 28-year-old Jeremy Thompson had been arrested over the incident and charged with domestic violence murder and first-degree wanton endangerment.

Rickey Jones Jr.

A man died Sept. 17 after being shot in Shively, police officials say.

Shively Police Det. Sgt. Jordan Brown said the man, later identified as Rickey Jones Jr., 42, arrived at U of L Hospital with gunshot wounds about 11 p.m. and died from his injuries.

Police later learned the shooting happened on eastbound Interstate 264 around Cane Run Road.

Man dies after shooting in Portland neighborhood

A man was killed Sept. 17 in the Portland neighborhood.

First Division officers responded to a call about a shooting about 4:45 p.m. in the 2100 block of Pirtle Street, LMPD spokesperson Aaron Ellis said. He said the victim was found with a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim has not been identified.

Vincent Miller and Shaquila Spratley

A man and a woman were found dead and another woman was found injured following a shooting Sept. 17, Shively Police said.

Shively officers responded to the 3200 block of Dixie Highway at 6:30 a.m., where they found three people who had been shot, department spokesperson Jordan Brown said.

Vincent Miller, 40, and Shaquila Spratley, 28, were pronounced dead at the scene. A woman in her 20s was taken to a hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, Brown said.

Brown said all the victims knew each other and that it was not a "random act."

Alexis McCrary and Lamont Smith

LMPD has announced arrests of two men accused of being complicit in the killing of two people in Russell on Sept. 10.

Maurice Gibson, 32, was arrested Sept. 13 and charged with two counts of complicity to murder in the shootings of Lamont Smith, 26, and Alexis McCrary, 24, according to an LMPD release. And on Oct. 13, 31-year-old Paul Wade was arrested and charged with two counts of murder and one count of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon in connection with the case, according to LMPD.

First Division officers responded to a call about a shooting at the 400 block of South 26th Street at Cedar Street about 2:45 p.m. Sept. 10 and found Smith, who had been shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A short time later, officers responded to another shooting in the 2500 block of Cedar Street and found McCrary. She was also pronounced dead at the scene.

The two victims lived together, according to the coroner's office.

Gibson was in Louisville Metro Corrections on a $1 million cash-only bond.

Investigators used video surveillance to identify a vehicle at the scene and three days later found Gibson inside that vehicle, according to his arrest citation. During his interrogation, he admitted to driving a suspect to the scene of the murders, the citation states. At the time of his arrest, he was found with crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia, another citation states.

Besides complicity to murder, Gibson was also charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and fourth-degree assault.

Wade, meanwhile, was also positively identified through video surveillance and by multiple sources, according to his arrest citation.

Two men killed in Beechmont shootings

Two men died after being shot a few hours apart and just minutes away from one another.

Officers responded to the 200 block of E. Wampum Avenue about 8 p.m. Sept. 11 and found a man who had been shot. He was taken to U of L Hospital, where he died.

About 11 p.m., officers responded to South Thir Street near Interstate 264 and found another man who'd been shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The two shootings were just two minutes away from one another. LMPD did not specify whether they are believed to have been connected.

The victims have not been identified.

One man dead, another arrested after early Sunday morning shooting

A man is dead after being shot early Sept. 11 in the Algonquin neighborhood.

Officers responded to the area of Seventh Street and Algonquin Parkway about 12:30 a.m. and found a man who'd been shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A few hours later, LMPD announced Mark Owen, 47, was arrested and charged with murder, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and tampering with physical evidence.

Owen was seen on video shooting the victim in the head, according to his arrest citation.

He was being held at Louisville Metro on a $250,000 cash only bond.

Bryant Hawkins

Bryant Hawkins was killed in a shooting on Newport Road on the evening of Sept. 9.

Louisville Metro Police officials said the shooting was reported in the 4300 block of Newport Road just before 6 p.m. Officers found the Hawkins, 19, at the scene suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

David Arajs

A man was killed on the morning of Sept. 6 in a shooting in the Clifton neighborhood.

Officers with LMPD's First Division responded to a call of a shooting about 9:30 a.m. in the 1600 block of Mellwood Avenue, according to a release from the department. There they found David Arajs with a gunshot wound, and he was later pronounced dead at U of L Hospital.

Jeffery Way was arrested Sept. 20 in homicide, LMPD spokesperson Angela Ingram said. He is charged with murder.

In his arrest citation, police said Way told LMPD he admitted to shooting Arajs and said it was in "self-defense."

Terry Dedrick

Terry Dedrick, 57, was found shot around 3 p.m. Sept. 5 in the 1200 block of Dahl Road in the Newburg neighborhood

He was taken to U of L Hospital, where he died, according to LMPD. Dedrick was identified by the coroners office.

Man fatally shot in Russell

A man was found shot around 3 a.m. Sept. 5 in an alley near Magazine and 26th streets, according to LMPD. He died at the scene.

Daven Metcalf

Daven Metcalf, 25, was killed Sept. 1 after he was found shot in an apartment in the Taylor Berry neighborhood.

Fourth Division officers responded to a call about a shooting at 10:15 p.m. in the 1500 block of Earl Avenue, LMPD spokesperson Alicia Smiley said. She said when officers arrived at the scene they found Metcalf suffering from a gunshot wound and he was declared dead by emergency services. He was later identified by the coroner's office.

Who were the previous months' victims?

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What we know about Louisville's September 2022 homicides