OH OH - Carnell Sledge, 40, & Katherine Brown, 33, shot dead in park, Cleveland, 4 Jun 2019

[Clevelandgirl]

Does anyone else think this was completely random? That the shooter had no connection to Kate or Nell?

Because with how last minute their meetup was, I don't see how anyone could have anticipated them being there at all.

Kinda getting Zodiac vibes, and Son of Sam. That kind of shooter who attacks people, often couples, in public places.

MOO

It could be completely random. I’m on the fence…maybe random or one of the victims was followed. Zodiac or Son of Sam type killer is worth investigating. Do you know of other murders committed in a similar style to this one that occurred in Ohio parks? I’ll do some research myself and see what I find.

 

[dotr]

Does anyone else think this was completely random? That the shooter had no connection to Kate or Nell?

Because with how last minute their meetup was, I don't see how anyone could have anticipated them being there at all.

Kinda getting Zodiac vibes, and Son of Sam. That kind of shooter who attacks people, often couples, in public places.

MOO

It seems random, maybe somebody had a cool silencer for a gun and wanted to use it that day?
A sourpuss, feeling extra mean and nasty, lurking in the bushes, waiting for just the right moment and the right victims to annihilate.
Random - random people-hater, shoot the first human, or couple to sit on that bench?
speculation, imo.

 

[Betty P]

It seems random, maybe somebody had a cool silencer for a gun and wanted to use it that day?
A sourpuss, feeling extra mean and nasty, lurking in the bushes, waiting for just the right moment and the right victims to annihilate.
Random - random people-hater, shoot the first human, or couple to sit on that bench?
speculation, imo.

I once thought it might have been random or a stranger targeting them. There have been Neo-Nazi, white supremacist groups who try to recruit and intimidate people on that side of town. LE says they found no evidence of that.

LE (including FBI) says that they believe its someone who knew them. JMO, there's more information LE has about the killer, but they can't make it public. Metroparks police are the lead investigators. They don't have much, if any, experience in murder investigation, gathering enough evidence to make an arrest. There were probably clues and evidence missed, people not questioned, etc.

 

[asmi106082]

I feel much more of a stalker vibe with this one. MOO I always thought one of them had a stalker that they likely didn’t even know about. MOO!

 

[Here_I_Am]

IMO Much was missed because the Metroparks Police agency had no experience with murders. Although it should be said that there has been a subsequent murder in a Metropark within the past several years and that was solved.

As I've said for years here, I highly doubt it was random. The odds of coming across a homicidal maniac or homicidal racist in a random park in broad daylight are very low. The odds of doing so within 5 minutes of arriving are astronomical.

 

[Here_I_Am]

I will say, I still don't have her that high on my list of suspects, but the ex-girlfriend of Carnell said a few strange things in the show.

She said that she and Carnell had been talking again for a little while. Then she says definitively that they "WERE going to get back together." As far as I see it, you've either have agreed to get back together or you haven't. Saying you "were" going to get back together when one of the people is dead and can't agree to do so (and apparently hadn't yet agreed at the time of his death) is strange. Maybe it's just an emotional thing and she wants to be seen as more like a widow and not the way people are treating her.

The other thing is that she said she knew nothing of Carnell and Kate's friendship dynamics. I understand that it was also stated that when either was in a relationship, they'd pull back a little bit, presumably because they were now receiving emotional support from the opposite sex from their partners. But it's still odd that she knew nothing of it if they were close friends. People have pointed to the strangeness of Carnell's family having no idea who Kate was. It was a little weird, but not so much given the age at which their friendship began and the geography of Cleveland (Carnell, Kate and Kate's family were all West Side-based, Carnell's family is East Side-based). But his girlfriend not knowing anything about their dynamics is almost weirder, although I assume she knew who Kate was at least.

 

[dotr]

Wondering now, if the cars belonging to each of the victims, were checked for tracking devices? imo.

Where is Kate Brown’s Family Now?

Netflix’s ‘Unsolved Mysteries: Park Bench Murders’ sheds light on the unexpected and mysterious double homicide of Carnell Sledge and Kate Brown in 2019 while they were sitting on a bench in a park in Fairview Park, Ohio. An extensive investigation was launched right after the murders, but...

thecinemaholic.com

“I wake up, the first thing I think of is my beautiful daughter, our daughter, their sister, shot in the head, laying face down in a polluted, muddy river and somebody just walks away.” Her sister, Lauren Rao, expressed how grave Kate’s loss was and how much she misses her. Kate’s other sister, Alexandra Zuban, initially suspected one of her former partners she met through a dating app. Meanwhile, her mother, Kim Brown, hoped to get some closure and justice for her daughter by capturing the killer/s. She said, “I would like for our family and Nell’s family to have closure, to at least know who did it and possibly by knowing who did it, why they did it.”

 

[iamshadow21]

I will say, I still don't have her that high on my list of suspects, but the ex-girlfriend of Carnell said a few strange things in the show.

She said that she and Carnell had been talking again for a little while. Then she says definitively that they "WERE going to get back together." As far as I see it, you've either have agreed to get back together or you haven't. Saying you "were" going to get back together when one of the people is dead and can't agree to do so (and apparently hadn't yet agreed at the time of his death) is strange. Maybe it's just an emotional thing and she wants to be seen as more like a widow and not the way people are treating her.

The other thing is that she said she knew nothing of Carnell and Kate's friendship dynamics. I understand that it was also stated that when either was in a relationship, they'd pull back a little bit, presumably because they were now receiving emotional support from the opposite sex from their partners. But it's still odd that she knew nothing of it if they were close friends. People have pointed to the strangeness of Carnell's family having no idea who Kate was. It was a little weird, but not so much given the age at which their friendship began and the geography of Cleveland (Carnell, Kate and Kate's family were all West Side-based, Carnell's family is East Side-based). But his girlfriend not knowing anything about their dynamics is almost weirder, although I assume she knew who Kate was at least.

Yeah, I noted the 'were going to get back together '. Could be just straight up denial.

I didn't take her not knowing Kate as weird, though, because Nell's own parents said they didn't know about Kate, and they'd been friends for a decade.

MOO

 

[STLBlues]

It seems random, maybe somebody had a cool silencer for a gun and wanted to use it that day?

RSBM - The term "silencer" is an incorrect term created by Hollywood. The proper term is suppressor. I've fired guns with suppressors on them and, unlike in movies where the gun is almost completely silent, you would be surprised how loud they still are. Even a relatively small caliber (.22 Long Rifle) firearm with a suppressor still produces a sound level around 108-120 decibels. For comparison, a jackhammer produces a sound level around 110 decibels and an ambulance siren is around 120 decibels.

 

[iamshadow21]

RSBM - The term "silencer" is an incorrect term created by Hollywood. The proper term is suppressor. I've fired guns with suppressors on them and, unlike in movies where the gun is almost completely silent, you would be surprised how loud they still are. Even a relatively small caliber (.22 Long Rifle) firearm with a suppressor still produces a sound level around 108-120 decibels. For comparison, a jackhammer produces a sound level around 110 decibels and an ambulance siren is around 120 decibels.

Yeah, suppressors are quietER, not quiet.

@GoBuckeyes suggested a few years ago that maybe the killer might have used an improvised suppressor like a water bottle, but to my knowledge, a 'soda silencer' is only really good for one shot, and it's still only quietER. Also, it would have left the scene covered in fragments of whatever the silencer was made of (like PET plastic).

MOO

 

[Deleted member 287549]

Recently saw UM S05 on Netflix, and this first episode (Park Bench Murders) was hands down the best one in this short season. Very compelling, horrific, and completely baffling. I had not heard of the case prior to seeing this episode, and don't remember how much national news coverage it got ATT.

Crimes that happen when it's still light out in public areas that are not high-crime (as in this case) are especially disturbing because they're so unusual.

Initially, I was thinking this was probably a random hate crime. I.e., a bigot coincidentally walking through the park at the same time Carnell & Kate were sitting on the park bench targets them due to seeing an interracial couple, etc.

Outside of the hate crime possibility - it's also plausible that one of them was being stalked by someone. However, if this were the case how did the killer know that they were going to be meeting in the park at that particular day & time?!

Hopefully this will be solved one day.

 

[crimejunkiestudent]

While I feel like it was someone connected to one of them, and that they were followed, I would not write-off a totally random killing. Someone could have been lurking in the area hidden among the trees waiting for an opportunity. Or someone was hanging around and didn’t like seeing a mixed race couple together. That occupied truck in the parking lot really bugs me - I would think this would discourage a random

Does anyone else think this was completely random? That the shooter had no connection to Kate or Nell?

Because with how last minute their meetup was, I don't see how anyone could have anticipated them being there at all.

Kinda getting Zodiac vibes, and Son of Sam. That kind of shooter who attacks people, often couples, in public places.

MOO

 

[crimejunkiestudent]

Does anyone else think this was completely random? That the shooter had no connection to Kate or Nell?

Because with how last minute their meetup was, I don't see how anyone could have anticipated them being there at all.

Kinda getting Zodiac vibes, and Son of Sam. That kind of shooter who attacks people, often couples, in public places.

MOO

After watching the Netflix unsolved mysteries and also doing more research on the side, I believe the chances of this being a random murder are slim. A random murder like this wouldn't necessarily be easy to pull off in the day time especially in such a specific location. Although it was in a park which shows disorganization, the use of a silencer/suppressor shows a level of premeditation. I believe (could 1000% be wrong, just a theory) that Kate was the prime target since she was killed last but since she had Nell with her who would have had the physical strength possibly to take out an attacker, the killer shot him first to eliminate the threat. I'd be curious to learn more about Kates ex relationships and online dating activity. I also believe that maybe they were meeting up because Kate wanted to confide in Nell about her abusive ex.... Maybe he was jealous of their relationship? Really the most common motives are love, money, a jealousy and I truly do believe this was not a random attack.

 

[dotr]

Author: Candice Hare February 6, 2025

Murders of Carnell Sledge and Kate Brown at Rocky River Reservation: Updates after cold case featured on Netflix's 'Unsolved Mysteries'

Kate Brown’s family has expressed frustration with the police department's handling of the case, claiming that communication has been one-sided.

www.wkyc.com

''Kate Brown’s sister, Lauren Rao, expressed her gratitude for the renewed attention.
"A lot of people who have never heard about this -- even people who live here locally in Fairview Park or Rocky River -- haven't heard of this case, so we're really thankful that Brown and Sledge are receiving the kind of coverage that they deserve and that their case needs," she said.
The investigation into the deaths of Sledge and Brown has been led by the Cleveland Metroparks Police Department. Over the past five years, the department has received around 100 tips, but the airing of the "Unsolved Mysteries" special has led to dozens more.
"There's certainly renewed interest in the case, which is important," said Detective Lieutenant Don Sylvis of the Cleveland Metroparks police. "It's a much larger audience than we typically had, so it's been extremely valuable."

 

[bluestsocks]

I once thought it might have been random or a stranger targeting them. There have been Neo-Nazi, white supremacist groups who try to recruit and intimidate people on that side of town. LE says they found no evidence of that.

LE (including FBI) says that they believe its someone who knew them. JMO, there's more information LE has about the killer, but they can't make it public. Metroparks police are the lead investigators. They don't have much, if any, experience in murder investigation, gathering enough evidence to make an arrest. There were probably clues and evidence missed, people not questioned, etc.

Obviously LE knows more than us, but I do have to say the early pages discussed a possible hate crime before moving onto a consensus this was more likely personal. The multiple Nazi demonstrations in various parts of Ohio in recent months have sent me a bit back to wondering about random hate crime. There’s obviously a very ugly underbelly of racism and it’s certainly likely those groups are small, but it only takes one person with a gun and irrational rage at seeing a mixed race couple sitting together and believing they’re on a date for something to happen. JMO. Could definitely have been targeted but it’s brought that possibility back into my mind.

 

[Facinatingtimes]

Anyone listen to the True Crime Garage episodes this week? I really wish the Metroparks and FBI would try harder.

 

[Plut1984]

Anyone listen to the True Crime Garage episodes this week? I really wish the Metroparks and FBI would try Find it very interesting the roofing guy

Find it very interesting the roofing guy up and left the area according to TCG. Them ruling him out on the “work data” or whatever never made much sense imo

 

[HmmMysterious]

I feel much more of a stalker vibe with this one. MOO I always thought one of them had a stalker that they likely didn’t even know about. MOO!

I definitely agree. A stalker who was mad seeing Katherine and Carnell together.