On September 21, 2009, Bryant Eddie Ortiz, a 33-year-old Hispanic male from Lorain, Ohio, was fatally shot in an incident that remains unsolved. Born on November 9, 1975, in Manhattan, New York, Ortiz had been a resident of Lorain since 1978. He was known for his work as a landscaper and was an active member of Iglesia de Cristo Misionera. Ortiz enjoyed rapping, baseball, and softball.
He is survived by his mother, Rachel Asencio; his children, Andrew, Jazzlyn, and Savannah Ortiz; and his brothers, Ramon Silva, Joseph Silva, Mark Anthony Silva, and Benjamin Stewart.
The events leading to his death began at Ray’s Memory Lane, a local bar in Lorain, where Ortiz became involved in an argument with an unidentified Black male. After bar staff ordered all patrons to leave, the confrontation continued outside in the parking lot. Later, as Ortiz and his brother, Mark Silva, were walking away from the bar on East 37th Street, they were approached by the same individual, who then shot Ortiz.
Despite ongoing investigations, no arrests have been made in connection with Ortiz's murder. The Lorain Police Department continues to seek information from the public to help identify and apprehend the suspect. Tips can be submitted confidentially to the Lorain Police Department's Criminal Investigations Bureau at 204-2105 or, after hours, to the Communications Center at 204-2100. Anonymous tips can also be provided through their tip411 service.
