In the early morning hours of April 2, 2002, in the Sowebo neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland, 19-year-old Tavon Cooper was fatally shot in the 1300 block of West Baltimore Street. He was transported to a local hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries five days later on April 7.
For two decades, the case of Tavon Cooper's death remained unsolved, a cold case in the files of the Baltimore Police Department.
However, persistent investigative work, which included the review of surveillance footage and numerous interviews, eventually led to a breakthrough. In June 2022, more than 20 years after the shooting, authorities announced an arrest in connection with the killing.
Tavon Jamal Green, who was 22 years old at the time of his arrest, was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and weapons violations. Green was subsequently held at the Central Booking and Intake Center in downtown Baltimore. The arrest brought a renewed focus on the challenges law enforcement faces in solving cold cases and highlighted the role of advancements in forensic technology in bringing long-awaited closure to victims' families.
