BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Seventeen years ago, James Alonzo went for his daily morning walk and never came back.
On September 25, 2000, the 67-year-old was found at the intersection of NW 15th Street and NW Hearnes Avenue, where he had been hit by a car and killed. The driver sped off and has never been found.
James "Jim" Alonzo was a husband, father, and grandfather who had recently retired after 42 years with the Santa Fe Railway. He was also a veteran who served with the U.S. Marine Corps.
"He loved his wife. He loved his family. He enjoyed walking his grandkids to school, which was just down the street," Sgt. Mike Russell of the Blue Springs Police Department said at a news conference about the case on Thursday.
Nearly two decades after Alonzo's death, police are renewing efforts to find his killer. They have limited physical evidence since it was raining the day Alonzo was killed. Investigators hope someone who heard or saw something will now come forward with information leading to an arrest.
"Our hope is that Jim's wife Lona and the Alonzo family can, for the first time in 17 years, have a holiday season where they have a little bit of closure," Russell said.
Information leading to an arrest or charges in this case carries a reward up to $2,000. If you know anything, you can contact the Blue Springs Police Department Media Line (816-228-0100) or the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline (816-474-8477).
