Police have no leads on Sunday stabbing death

Police say they have no suspects and no leads in the city's latest homicide.

Leonard M. Hecox, 44, was found stabbed to death Sunday morning in the front yard of his home in the 2500 block of South Bennett, which is southeast of Pawnee and Meridian, Lt. Todd Ojile said.

Neighbors saw Hecox lying in the front yard at about 9 a.m. Sunday, but thought he was passed out from drinking. When he still hadn't moved as noon approached, someone called 911 at 11:54 a.m.

He was pronounced dead at noon. He had suffered a single stab wound to the upper right chest, Ojile said.

Neighbors reported hearing an argument at the house sometime after midnight, and two people leaving in separate vehicles — a green SUV and a silver Camaro — shortly before 3 a.m., Ojile said.

Police tracked down those two people and interrogated them, he said, but evidence supports their claims that Hecox was alive when they left.

"We do not believe they are involved in his death," Ojile said of the men.

Investigators think Hecox was stabbed while he was in the yard sometime between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. Sunday.

Although an estimated 20 people have been interviewed in connection with the case, Ojile said, no suspects and no leads have surfaced.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111, Lt. Doug Nolte said.

Anonymous tips may also be sent to Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-TIPS, via text message with "TIP217" plus their message to the number 274637 (CRIMES).

Tips can also be sent at www.wsccs.com.

This is the fifth homicide of 2011, police officials said.

This story was originally published March 22, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Police have no leads on Sunday stabbing death."