WARRENSBURG, Mo. — Warrensburg Police are adding some major man-power to a murder investigation. Blaine Whitworth, 25, was gunned down in front of his home Saturday night, and now the Rural Major Case Squad has been activated to help Warrensburg Police with the investigation.
The Rural Major Case Squad is made up of about 35 officers from a six county region. Warrensburg Police Chief Bruce Howey says on major cases like this there’s no way they could follow up on all the tips and leads themselves.
“In the end we’ll follow up a 100 plus leads in this case,” he says.
Memorials are still being left in front of Whitworth’s home in the 1000 block of Sunflower, and in front of the two bars in downtown Warrensburg that Whitworth owned. Friends say Whitworth was a hard worker and tough businessman, but he also had a big heart. They tell FOX 4 that Whitworth recently let two homeless men move in with him to help them get back on their feet. Police confirm they have spoken to those men but wouldn’t say whether or not they’re considered suspects.
Chief Howey says tips are coming in, and he hopes people keep calling in no matter how insignificant the information might be.
“It can be huge and could be a turning point in their investigation,” he says, “that’s the only way we can come to a reasonable conclusion and then bring the wrongdoers to justice.”
FOX 4 actually spoke to Whitworth back in 2004 when he was a junior in high school and leading an effort to boycott the cafeteria, to get the school to provide better lunches. A friend says that’s evidence that he was always very civic minded.
Family and friends will share more memories of Whitworth at a candle light vigil Wednesday night at 9 p.m., in front of his bar “Molly’s” at Holden and Pine streets. According to a friend, the Facebook event page already has more than 700 people saying they will attend
