On January 25, 2015, at approximately 12:45 a.m., Lakewood police responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots in the vicinity of Eldred Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered Charles W. Junke, a 49-year-old Caucasian male from Fairview Park, Ohio, deceased inside a parked vehicle. He had sustained two gunshot wounds to the head.
Shortly after this incident, law enforcement and SWAT units were dispatched to the Red Roof Inn on Clemens Road in Westlake. There, Jeffrey F.
Null, a 53-year-old male from Avon, Ohio, fatally shot himself before officers could engage with him. Authorities indicated that both Null and Junke were acquainted, though the specifics of their relationship remained unclear. Lakewood Police Chief Ed Hassing suggested that the two deaths were connected but did not provide further details. He also reassured the public that Junke's death appeared to be a targeted act, implying no ongoing threat to community safety.
In the aftermath, no arrests were made, as the primary suspect, Jeffrey Null, had died by suicide. The investigation concluded with the determination that Junke's death was not a random act of violence but was directly linked to Null's actions. The exact motive behind the incident was not publicly disclosed.
Charles "Charlie Tuna" Junke was survived by his wife of nine years, Megan , and their children: Chloe, Taylor Dotson, and Henry. He was also the president of North Coast Express, a transportation company. A celebration of his life was held on February 7, 2015, at the Copper Cup of the Ironwood Café in Westlake, Ohio.
