Julius D Harris

Do you know who murdered Julius D Harris?
Julius D. Harris, a 36-year-old Black man described by loved ones as a loving father and ambitious entrepreneur, was working to build a life for his family in Kansas City. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Julius had attended Metro Community College, where he specialized in auto mechanics and business. He moved to the Kansas City area about nine years before his death, initially working as a welder before pursuing his passion for cars. He opened his own auto restoration shop in Kansas City, Kansas, and was known as a determined go-getter and a loyal friend. A father of five, he was deeply loved. "He was a loving man, a lovely man," said Candace Smith, the mother of his two youngest children. "People don't know what they've done. They took away a very special person... They took him from his children."

The evening of February 28, 2017, was shattered by a burst of violence during rush hour on a busy Kansas City highway. At approximately 6:19 p.m., Julius was driving his distinctive bright yellow or white pickup truck northbound on Bruce R. Watkins Drive, also known as U.S. Highway 71. As he traveled between Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard and 39th Street, someone in another vehicle opened fire. The first alerts to police came not from 911 calls, but from the city's ShotSpotter gunshot detection system, which registered multiple rounds fired. Soon after, callers reported a vehicle that had wrecked on the side of the road.

Officers from the Kansas City Missouri Police Department arrived at the 39th Street exit ramp to find Julius’s truck stopped. He was inside, suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. The cab of his pickup was riddled with several bullet holes. The shocking crime forced authorities to shut down the northbound lanes of the highway for hours as they processed the grim scene, with traffic reopening close to 10 p.m. that night.

The investigation began immediately, but the circumstances of the shooting were murky. Despite the heavy traffic typical for that time of day, no witnesses initially came forward to describe the attack or the other vehicle involved. Investigators announced that evidence pointed to a "rolling gunbattle," suggesting shots may have been fired from more than one vehicle. However, Julius’s family strongly disputed the idea that he would have been involved in a shootout. His sister, Markella Finley, expressed her confusion and pain, stating, "It's senseless... I just don't understand." She could not believe such a violent act could happen on a crowded highway without anyone seeing what occurred.

Family members shared that Julius was returning to his auto shop after a planned meeting to purchase a car engine had fallen through because the seller never arrived. His loved ones feared he may have been set up. Suquett Saunders, the mother of his older child, remembered him as a man who wanted to live a "happy productive life." He had moved away from his hometown of Omaha but remained close to his family. His sister added that if anyone had wanted something from him, "all they had to do was ask for it nine out of 10 he would have gave it to them."

As of early 2017, the Kansas City Police Department had not identified a suspect or made any arrests in the case. The investigation was being handled by the department's Homicide Unit, with Detective Wayne Fitzner assigned to the case. With no suspect description and no known motive, detectives were left to rely on forensic evidence and the hope that someone would come forward with information.

The case of Julius Harris's murder remains unsolved, one of many cold cases in Kansas City. His death left five children without their father and a family searching for answers and justice. His loved ones remember him as a family man and an entrepreneur who was taken far too soon. Authorities continue to ask for the public's help. Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.