On the evening of May 29, 2010, 34-year-old African American male Corey A. Mitchell was fatally shot outside his home on North Paul Laurence Dunbar Street in Dayton, Ohio. A single father, Corey had just returned home with his 11-year-old twins when a masked gunman emerged from the yard of an abandoned house across the street and opened fire. Corey was struck multiple times and succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital.
His daughter sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, while his son escaped physical harm.
In the weeks leading up to his death, Corey had expressed concerns about a woman he had been dating, describing her behavior as obsessive and intrusive. He reported incidents to the police, including one where he was threatened at gunpoint by two men, and another involving threatening text messages. Despite these reports, no substantial follow-up occurred. Following his murder, the woman was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder; however, a Montgomery County Grand Jury declined to indict her, and the charge was subsequently expunged from her record.
Corey's mother, Carol Cranford, has been a steadfast advocate for justice in her son's case. She believes that the decision not to allow Corey's children to testify before the grand jury was a significant misstep, as they were eyewitnesses to the crime. Carol has offered rewards and even erected a billboard in Dayton to keep the case in the public eye. Despite these efforts, the case remains unsolved, and the identity of the shooter is still unknown.
Detective Patricia Tackett, who has worked on the case, believes that multiple individuals were involved in the planning and execution of Corey's murder. Investigators found shell casings and a tea bottle at the scene, but these did not yield any leads. The only eyewitnesses were Corey's children, who described the shooter as a bald African American male of similar build to their father, wearing a white long-sleeved t-shirt, black pants, black boots, and black gloves. The shooter addressed Corey by his nickname, indicating familiarity.
As of now, no arrests have been made, and the case remains open. Authorities continue to seek information that could lead to the identification and apprehension of those responsible for the murder of Corey A. Mitchell.
