Overview

• Roger Golubski, a former Kansas City, Kansas detective, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home on the day his federal trial for civil rights violations and sexual assault was set to begin.
• Golubski, 71, faced accusations of sexually assaulting and threatening Black women and girls, some as young as 13, over decades while using his position of power to shield himself from accountability.
• Victims and community members expressed frustration over his death, citing it as an escape from justice and a missed opportunity to expose systemic corruption within the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.
• The trial was expected to include testimony from multiple accusers and witnesses, with prosecutors alleging Golubski also protected drug traffickers involved in sex trafficking operations.
• Golubski’s death leaves unanswered questions about the extent of his crimes and the role others may have played in enabling his decades-long abuse of power.