http://www.westchestermagazine.com/Westchester-Magazine/August-2015/Westchesters-Cold-Cases/
Its all surrounding the bar.
One thing was clear: It wasnt a robbery.
Someone wanted Mr. Keels dead, Yonkers Police Department Cold Case Detective John Geiss says of the murder of 60-year-old David Keels, a Yonkers resident killed on February 7, 1997. A bus driver by day and bar owner by night, David was a hard-working, law-abiding family man. He was very well loved, says Tracy Keels of her father. He knew a lot of people. Everybody referred to him as Uncle Bo. He did a lot for his community.
So why would someone want him dead? That is the question facing Geiss and those whove investigated the case before him.
Geiss believes it has something to do with the bar he owned, Bo Dicks Lounge (Bo Dicks was Davids nickname) on Warburton Avenue. Business wasnt going too well, Geiss explains. It was an older bar, and what happened was that a younger crowd started moving in.
David ran a clean, legal business, and the shift to a younger crowd caused tension. He tried to prevent people from coming in with drugs and weapons, and there were incidents where he had kicked people out, says Geiss, who believes those incidents may provide clues to the motive for the killing. Its all surrounding the bar and possibly people wanting to become partners or take over the bar. Thats coming from the street; thats the rumor on the street. None of Davids possessions were taken after he was shot.
Prior to his murder, David had partnered with someone to promote weekend parties (Geiss declined to provide this individuals name because he remains a person of interest in the case). These events were successful but caused issues with drug use and sales. After about five parties, he [David] stopped doing it, Geiss says. Although it was successful for him, he didnt want that kind of clientele in the bar.
Since the murder, there have been a number of suspects. A lot of those names have been eliminated, Geiss says. But there are a few that, no matter what I do, I cant eliminate them. Geiss is still looking at these individuals and is hoping to find more evidence.
In the immediate aftermath of her fathers murder, Tracy was optimistic that those involved would be swiftly brought to justice. I hoped it would be solved quickly, she says. There were so many rumors flying around. But, over the years, shes watched those rumors grow cold and tips lead to dead end after dead end. Tracys mother, Joyce, told a pastor shortly before her death in 2013 that she wasnt ready to go yet because she was holding out hope of finding out who killed her husband. It bothers us because we walk the streets and the very same person that we can be saying hello to could have had something to do with it, you know? So its very disheartening, Tracy says. She urges anyone who knows anything to have a conscience, have a soul, and come forward with any information, anything that can help us find closure.
Geiss, who remains in regular contact with Tracy Keels, is optimistic that eventually this will happen. Its never going to bring back her father, but at least shed get the answers, and thats important, he says.
If you have information regarding this case, contact Detective John Geiss with the Yonkers Cold Case Unit at (914) 377-7731.