Rowan Padgett was 17 and a senior at Olathe East High School when he was found with gunshot wounds and died at the scene in a cul-de-sac in the 12300 block of South Mullen Court in Olathe, Kansas, on the afternoon of March 29, 2019. The killing arose from a drug transaction over a small quantity of Xanax; witnesses said the encounter was arranged for Matthew Bibee Jr. to purchase two Xanax bars for $8. Rowan reportedly exited the vehicle without his backpack and phone after a single gunshot was heard.

Three other teenagers were charged in connection with the homicide. Jordan A. Denny, 16, was charged with first-degree felony murder and felony obstruction for giving investigators false information; the shooting was reported to have occurred outside her home. Seventeen-year-old Rolland Robert Kobelo was charged with felony murder and later admitted helping set up the deal and encouraging the robbery; he was sentenced in 2020 to over four years in a juvenile correctional facility. Matthew Bibee Jr., initially identified as a person of interest, faced first-degree felony murder charges and separate attempted capital murder charges in an incident alleging he shot at a police officer.

Are there readers who knew Rowan or who have information that could shed more light on what happened that afternoon?