Friends went to take him out for birthday dinner, but they found him dead, cops say

Update, 2:20 p.m. July 13:

Detectives have found John Gaffney’s pickup, the sheriff’s office said in a release on Friday. They did not say where the pickup was found, citing an active investigation. Anyone with information on the homicide is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Original story:

Investigators are searching for a man’s pickup after friends found him dead when they went to take him out for a birthday dinner, officials said.

The 67-year-old man’s body was found at a home in the 4500 block of W. 57th Circle North after Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Emergency Medical Services were dispatched to an “unknown call” at around 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Lt. Tim Myers said. The house is near West 53rd Street North and Meridian Avenue.

The man was identified as John L. Gaffney.

The case is being investigated as a homicide after it was initially considered a suspicious death. Deputies are looking for Gaffney’s pickup, which they discovered was missing from his home, Myers said.

It is a green 1997 Dodge 1500 with a white or light-colored bed. The license plate is 388KER. The sheriff’s office asks anyone who sees the pickup to call 911, or if anyone has information regarding the homicide, to call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Myers said Gaffney had injuries but did not elaborate. There was no sign of forced entry.

Gaffney was a cab driver for Best Cab, Myers said, and had worked Thursday evening. Detectives think he died sometime between Thursday and Saturday.

Some of the man’s friends went to his home Saturday — Gaffney’s birthday — to take him out for a birthday dinner, Myers said. When there was no response, they went into the home, found him and called 911.

An autopsy was started Monday, Myers said.

This story was originally published July 8, 2018 at 9:19 AM.