CLEVELAND — The FBI and Cleveland Metroparks are asking for the public's help in solving a double homicide that occurred in the Rocky River Reservation earlier this month.
Though few new details were released, authorities made a plea to the public to come forward in a news conference Monday, noting they are confident someone saw or heard something that may be helpful to the investigation.
The FBI is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to arrests in the deaths of 40-year-old Carnell Sledge and 33-year-old Katherine Brown. The two were found dead by kayakers near the river north of the Lorain Road bridge June 4. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner ruled their deaths as homicides, as both were shot in the head.
Authorities say Sledge and Brown arrived to the park in separate vehicles, parking in the lot north of the bridge around 5:04 p.m. The pair, who police say were longtime friends, sat on a park bench by the river for a short time before they were shot sometime between 5:08 and 5:15 p.m. The kayakers who found them arrived about three minutes later.
FBI Special Agent Eric Smith urged the public to come forward if they were in the park that evening and spotted anything strange. He noted that June 4 was a nice, warm day, meaning the park was likely busy with joggers, hikers and traffic that evening.
"There were plenty of people and plenty of activity in the park," Smith said.
Authorities released a map of the location of the killings, asking anyone who was in the area at that time to contact police.
"You may think that what you saw was nothing or was unrelated," Smith said. "We are asking you not to dismiss anything. Let law enforcement make that decision."
Though the killer has not been located, the Metroparks insist the parks are safe and that the shootings were an isolated incident. They don't believe the killings were random, but would not comment on any potential suspects or motives.
Anyone with information on the killings should call the FBI at 216-522-1400. Crimestoppers is also offering an additional $2,500 reward.