Summary
Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
This episode revisits the unsolved June 2019 double murder of forty-year-old Cornell Sledge and thirty-three-year-old Catherine "Kate" Brown in northeast Ohio's Rocky River Reservation. The host details how the two friends were found shot to death in broad daylight near a park bench in a heavily trafficked area, prompting a joint investigation by local park police and the FBI. Despite a timeline placing the murders within a tight ten-minute window and numerous public pleas, rewards totaling one hundred thousand dollars, and community vigils, the case remains unsolved. The narrative explores friction between grieving families and authorities over communication breakdowns, the removal of reward signs by park personnel, and unverified tips, including an anonymous letter and a clairvoyant claim.
- Authorities narrowed the murder window down to between 5:08 PM and 5:15 PM on June 4, 2019. 14:02
- The FBI joined the local investigation due to the brazen and public nature of the double homicide. 10:04
- Cornell Sledge's family established a foundation called Sledges Helping Hands to support at-risk children. 32:05
Chapters
- 0:00Episode Introduction and Podcast Overview
Delia welcomes listeners and explains the new weekly crime episode format.
- 1:15Introducing the Rocky River Reservation Double Murder
Delia sets the scene for the 2019 murders of Cornell Sledge and Catherine Kate Brown.
- 3:26Crime Scene Details and Initial Investigation
Description of the bodies, evidence, and early police response at the park.
- 7:03Law Enforcement Response and Public Statements
Officials release information, hold press conferences, and reassure park safety.
- 7:35Community Reaction and Speculation
Local residents express fear and question motives while rumors circulate.
- 13:36FBI Involvement and Investigation Timeline
Federal agents join the case, narrow the time window, and seek public help.
- 17:12Additional Violent Incidents in 2019
Other shootings in the park are examined but ultimately deemed unrelated.
- 21:20Family Efforts and Reward Increases
Victim families raise the reward and push for more investigative resources.
- 26:47Ongoing Investigation Challenges and Public Outreach
Investigators face stalled leads, remove memorial signs, and struggle to keep public interest.
- 33:34Current Status and Call for Tips
The episode ends with a plea for information and contact details for tips.
Highlights
- 1:54
Unsolved Double Homicide in Ohiostory
Cornell Sledge and Catherine Kate Brown were found shot to death in a popular Ohio park in June 2019.
- 3:44
A kayaker parking his car noticed a man slumped over near a park bench and a woman's body in the river.
- 9:56
FBI Joins Local Investigationinsight
The FBI stepped in early to assist local police because of the brutality and public location of the crime.
- 13:46
Narrowed Timeline of Attacksdata
Investigators determined victims arrived at 5:04 PM and were shot between 5:08 and 5:15 PM before a 5:18 call.
- 16:45
Prior Park Assault Incidentsinsight
Police reviewed prior assaults in the park from 2017 to 2019, but later dismissed them as unconnected.
- 21:35
Massive Reward Pool Offereddata
Family donations and FBI funds eventually pushed the reward for information up to $100,000.
- 26:29
Removal of Memorial Signsstory
Cleveland Metro Parks personnel removed family-posted reward signs for violating park rules.
- 33:06
Anonymous Vision Letterinsight
An anonymous letter writer claimed to have had a vision about the crime, which police vetted and dismissed.
Quotes
“The case takes place in Rocky River Reservation, which technically has acreage in several townships of northeast Ohio.”
Unnamed speaker · 1:38 “The FBI's special agent in charge, a guy named Eric Smith, told the press, "We have no reason to believe it was random, but we do not know if it was targeted. Someone did this in a very brazen way, a very specific way."”
Unnamed speaker · 10:28 “In the announcement, the agencies disclosed that detectives had narrowed down the window of time they believed the murders happened in.”
Unnamed speaker · 13:36 “The letter writer alleged that a woman had murdered the couple after verbally getting into it with Cornell at the park bench.”
Unnamed speaker · 30:25
Sponsored segments
- Simplisafe 23:39–24:14
- iXL 24:14–25:19
About this episode
When two friends sitting on a bench in an Ohio park are gunned down in cold blood, the investigators responsible for solving they murders are left dumbfounded. Few clues lead to concrete answers and more questions surround this 2019 crime than ever before.
Transcript
5,719 words · 6 speakers
Topics
- News 5 Cleveland
- Cleveland Metro Parks Police
- Rocky River Reservation
- Fox 8 News
- Valley Parkway
- Cleveland Metro Parks Police Department
- Cleveland.com
- ClevelandMetroParks.com
- Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office
- Cleveland Metro Parks Detective Bureau
Page updated · transcript and summary are machine-generated