On the morning of March 9, 2016, 23-year-old African American male Jamar Givens was discovered deceased in the backyard of a residence located at 950 Elberon Avenue in the East Price Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. Responding officers from the Cincinnati Police Department arrived at the scene around 6:55 a.m., where they found Givens suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The homeowners reported that they did not know Givens, and he had no known connection to the property. The incident was immediately classified as a homicide, prompting an investigation by the department's Homicide Unit.
Jamar Givens was a well-known figure in the Price Hill community, recognized for his talents as a baseball standout. He was also a father, leaving behind two young children. The news of his untimely death deeply affected his family and the local community. His father, Carl Givens, expressed profound grief and a desire for justice during a community gathering organized by Cincinnati Works’ Phoenix Program, which aims to curb violence in the city’s urban core. Givens' sister, Nikki Mooney, vowed not to rest until her brother’s killer was found, emphasizing the daily pain the family endured since his passing.
Approximately one month after the incident, on April 7, 2016, authorities arrested 29-year-old James Wofford near Atlanta, Georgia. The arrest was a collaborative effort between the Cincinnati Police Department’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the Henry County Police Department’s Criminal Apprehension and Gang Enforcement Unit. Wofford was charged with the murder of Jamar Givens and subsequently extradited to Cincinnati. On May 2, 2016, a grand jury indicted Wofford on two counts of murder and two counts of felonious assault. During his arraignment, his bond was set at $1 million. Wofford’s attorney claimed that he had traveled to Georgia to get his life back together two days before Givens' death and returned to Cincinnati voluntarily.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of 23-year-old African American male Jamar Givens remains ongoing. Authorities continue to seek information that could shed light on the motive and events leading up to the shooting. The Cincinnati Police Department urges anyone with relevant information to contact their Criminal Investigation Section or Crime Stoppers. The community's cooperation is deemed vital in ensuring justice for Givens and providing closure to his grieving family.
