Unsolved Mysteries – Park Bench Murders

By starrymag | October 9, 2024

By: Sammi Turano

 

 

Rocky River Reservation. Cleveland, Ohio. We hear a 911 call stating that two people in that area had been shot to death. The call took place on June 4^th, 2019 after two people came to the area in hopes of kayaking.

The man and woman who found the bodies (Tony and Kaitlin) describe finding the bodies and the disturbing scene they stumbled upon.

Kaitlin recalls seeing a truck with a man sitting in there and wondered if he was connected to the murders. The two of them called the cops and waited for help to arrive.

Detective Don Sylvis remembers responding to the scene and describes a similar scene where he found a black man and white woman shot to death in the park. At the time he inferred that it was either a double murder or murder suicide. Further investigation showed that it was a double murder and they were shot in close proximity.

Authorities now had the job of trying to identify the victims. Assistant prosecuting attorney Saleh Awadallah was on hand to answer legal questions on the case.

The two unoccupied cars in the parking lot were registered to Kate Brown and Carnell Sledge, who were soon identified as the victims.

Kate’s parents Tom and Kim Brown remember the police coming to the house and getting the news about their daughter’s murder. Carnell’s parents Carl and Darlene also recall getting such a visit, one no parent wants to receive.

Nobody could figure out why anyone would want to kill either one of them and were left in a state of shock. Kim had no idea how she was going to tell her daughters that their sister was dead.

The Browns share home movies as Kate’s sisters Lauren and Alexandra share memories of her younger sister’s growing up years. They recall her as a fun, goofy girl, but say she struggled with depression, anxiety and drinking.

At the time of her death, she was working on her sobriety and career in marketing and seemed to be happier.

Alexandra and Lauren talk about the unique relationship she had with Carnell, whom they referred to as Nell. They had been friends for years and even if they didn’t speak for some time, they would find their way back into each other’s lives.

Darlene and Carl share their memories of Nell’s growing up years. His grandma Audrey and brother Terrance also share their memories of him and how he was a gentle teddy bear of a guy. Nell loved working with kids and worked as a basketball coach for kids with disabilities. He was very loved and remembered by his team to this day.

Kate’s family describes the Metropark area where she lived as an area that welcomed people from all walks of life. They remember her often meeting friends in that area.

Chief Kelly Stillman says it was not a crime ridden area and that the last homicide took place over 20 years ago. He says the double murder was a very strange occurrence.

The area where Nell and Kate were killed was well populated and filled with traffic, making it strange that nobody would have seen the murders.

The man in the truck was questioned and claimed he worked for a roofing company and was doing estimates at the time of the murder. He recalled seeing them arrive, but  he did not hear or see anything else. Nell’s family find this hard to believe.

Due to the type of gun used, authorities believe that this is possible, but considered him a person of interest. He was soon cleared when it was proven he was working at the time of the murders.

Both Kate and Nell’s cell phones and wallets were recovered, ruling out robbery as a motive. Blood found behind the bench inferred that they were shot from behind.

Alexandra describes how Nell and Kate were shot and how Kate attempted to flee. She also believes that Nell was trying to protect Kate.

Authorities try to figure out how the killer could have escaped, inferring that he or she went through a nearby parking lot, possibly by foot or bike once they hit a nearby trail close to the Lorain Avenue Bridge.

Assistant Special Agent In Charge Todd Krajek talks about his involvement in the case and how it was unusual for the FBI to take on such a case. He gets angry thinking about the case and says anyone could have been a victim.

A timeline is put together from the day of the murder. Kate had gone to the gym around 3:38 that afternoon and got a text from Nell at 4:02. She called him around 4:10 and he left work around 4:24.

She left the gym around 4:31 and they both headed to the park. Kate’s car was spotted via police dashboard camera around 5:01, while Nell followed behind at 5:03. It is believed that they both headed to the park bench, but it is unknown why they met that day. Their families infer that one of them needed to talk or that there was possibly a romance brewing.

What made things more questionable was that Nell had plans to go to his grandmother’s that day and went out of the way to meet Kate.

Kate’s phone was unlocked at 5:08, just 14 minutes before the kayakers found their bodies.

All of this leads to more questions and no answers.

Alexandra wondered if it could have been a hate crime since there had been several occurring in Cleveland at the time  of the murder. Both families also agree that it could have been possible, but there was no evidence that this was the case.

Another theory was that it could have been gang related, possibly an initiation for someone to get into a gang. Terrance doesn’t believe that this is the case.

Darlene began to look at everyone differently after the murders and wondered who could have wanted them dead. To her, everyone became a suspect.

She began to suspect Nell’s ex-girlfriend Alyssa, who acted over the top at the funeral and had a concealed-carry permit. She also displayed unusual behavior, making her a suspect. However, Alyssa herself says that while they dated for six months, they realized that they were better off as friends….until right before his murder when they became closer. She claims the two of them talked the day of the murder, but he never responded to her last text.

She recalls finding out about the murder and being questioned, but she had a verifiable alibi the day of the murder. The gun she owned did not match the murder weapon either, clearing her as a suspect.

Terrance thinks that the killer was after Kate and not Nell.

Lauren and Alexandra took a look into Kate’s life prior to her murder, saying that she lost weight and was entering the world of online dating. She had met with someone the Friday before her murder and told her sisters she felt something was off. She’d later found out he killed someone a decade before with the help of his brother. She shared this with her sisters and they claimed she never saw this guy again.

The guy was found by had an alibi and was cleared as a suspect.

Another prior boyfriend was investigated, one that Kate’s family claimed was violent. He had been spotted at her apartment the night before Kate was murdered and they suspected that he could had followed her to the park. However, police claimed he also had an alibi, but her family isn’t sure it can be proven.

Before long, the case went cold despite efforts to keep investigating and a reward being offered to bring the killer to justice.

The families had signs put up asking for people with information to come forward, but they were told to take them down.

The case was sent to a behavioral analyst unit with the FBI, but so far nothing has been found to help solve the case.

The family is determined to see the case be solved and will stop at nothing to get closure.