RAYTOWN, Mo. — The shooting death of 60-year-old Harry Stone – murdered as he jogged down a Raytown street – has brought back grim memories for one family who lost a loved one in similar circumstances six years ago.
Stone was shot and killed last Sunday morning as he jogged along Blue Ridge Boulevard near 67th Street. Police say that they suspect the murder could have been a gang initiation or dare.
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For Ron Osborn, the apparently random murder brings back some tough memories. His brother, Robert Osborn, would have turned 50 years old this week. But he was gunned down while he rode his bike along Blue Ridge Boulevard in Raytown in what was described as a “thrill-kill” murder.
Ron Osborn says that the Stone murder has brought back some memories that are tough to deal with.
“To be blunt, I was like ‘Holy crap!’,” said Osborn. “It was shocking, unbelievable. Equally as unbelievable as what happened to Robert. It’s very tragic. I really feel sorry for the family because I kind of understand what they’re going through.”
Ron Osborn moved to Texas after two men were sentenced to 15 years in prison each for killing his brother for fun. But he remains active in working to reduce violent crime in Kansas City through his SafeStreetsKC website.
He calls the Stone’s murder another example of “Hunting Humans,” and he says that those with no core values need to be behind bars.
“Obviously this one with Mr. Stone I would imagine would be very difficult because it’s random. When I first heard about Robert’s murder, when I got the particulars on the phone, I was thinking, ‘We’re never going to get these guys’,” said Osborn. He says that investigators were fortunate in his brother’s case after the killers started talking about the murder, and eventually turning on each other.
Osborn says that he hopes that loose lips will again bring some killers to justice. He says that he prays that Stone’s family will get a better answer for why he was killed than just for the thrill of the kill.
“You know, you don’t get that type of closure on that kind of death because you’re always left with the question, ‘Why? What went through their minds? What’s going on here?’,” said Osborn.
If you have any information about the shooting of Harry Stone, please call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.