On a cold December evening in Schenectady, New York, the life of 29-year-old Leon J. Graves was tragically cut short. On December 5, 2020, Graves was fatally shot in the Mont Pleasant neighborhood of the city. Police responded to a report of shots fired at approximately 8:36 p.m. on Maplewood Avenue, where they found Graves, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Leon J. Graves, born in Schenectady on January 10, 1991, was a father of five children.
He was a graduate of Schenectady High School and was employed as a package handler for UPS in Latham, New York. His family and friends remember him as a man who enjoyed riding dirt bikes and working on cars with his father.
The investigation into the death of Leon Graves was launched by the Schenectady Police Department. Due to a number of city detectives being sidelined by the coronavirus at the time, the New York State Police's Major Crimes Unit was brought in to assist with the homicide case. Authorities at the time described the investigation as active, with law enforcement working collaboratively to follow leads.
Despite the ongoing investigation in the years following his death, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests made or the identification of any suspects in the shooting of Leon J. Graves. The case is considered an unsolved homicide, and the Schenectady Police Department has previously asked for anyone with information to come forward.
