Prichard police have identified a Saraland man as the victim of a fatal shooting whose body was discovered at the entrance to the Gulf Village neighborhood earlier this month, though the case remains unsolved ten days later.
Officers found 43-year-old Ray Kennon slumped over inside a vehicle early on July 10, according to Prichard city officials. Medics pronounced Kennon dead at the scene after what investigators described as an apparent gunshot wound.
Philip Stiell, chief of staff for Prichard Mayor Troy Ephriam, said officers had not received any reports of gunfire in the area before Kennon’s body was discovered on Ball Avenue around 1 a.m. Dispatch was alerted to the scene after passersby spotted the vehicle and called for help.
“Prichard detectives continue to pursue leads although no arrests have been made and a motive has not been established,” Stiell said, underscoring that the investigation remains active more than a week after Kennon’s death.
The lack of any reported gunfire before Kennon’s body was found has complicated the investigation, leaving detectives to piece together his final movements without an immediate 911 call or witness report pinpointing when the shooting occurred. Gulf Village, where the body was discovered, sits within a residential section of Prichard that has seen its share of violent crime in recent years.
Kennon’s identification as the victim closes one part of the investigation, allowing his family in Saraland to begin the grieving process while detectives continue working to determine what led to his death. Homicide cases without an immediate suspect or clear motive often take longer to resolve, relying heavily on tips from the public and forensic evidence gathered at the scene.
Prichard police are asking anyone with information about the shooting, including details about Kennon’s activities in the hours before his death or any vehicles seen near Ball Avenue that night, to come forward. Tips can be submitted directly to the Prichard Police Department or through the city’s dedicated tip line, which allows callers to remain anonymous.
City officials say the case remains a priority for the department, which continues to investigate violent crime across Prichard alongside other agencies working in the area. As of the most recent update from the mayor’s office, no arrests had been made and detectives had not publicly identified a suspect or motive in Kennon’s death.