Anthony Manning

In the spring of 2009, Anthony Manning, a 39-year-old man, was living in apartment 202 of a three-story walk-up building at 499 Cleveland Avenue in London, Ontario. The residence, located in the city's Pond Mills neighborhood, was known to have a steady stream of visitors. In the days leading up to his death, a number of people were seen coming and going from Anthony's second-floor unit. The full story of his life and the connections he made remains largely private, obscured by the tragedy that would soon unfold.

On the evening of Friday, May 8, 2009, the London Police Service received a call reporting a deceased person inside the Cleveland Avenue apartment. Officers were dispatched to the scene, arriving shortly after 6:00 p.m. to conduct a wellness check. Upon entering the apartment, they made a grim discovery: the body of Anthony Manning. It was immediately clear that his death was not from natural causes.

The subsequent investigation, led by the London Police Service's Major Crime Section, quickly confirmed that Anthony had been the victim of a homicide. An autopsy determined the cause of death was a single gunshot wound. Investigators processed the scene at the apartment building, which sits on the north side of Cleveland Avenue just west of Pond Mills Road, seeking clues to identify the person or people responsible for the fatal shooting.

Detectives focused on the activity at the apartment in the period before Anthony's body was found. They believe that some of the many individuals who passed through his doors in those final days hold crucial information about the circumstances surrounding his murder. Despite this promising lead, the flow of information from the public has not been enough to solve the case. Police have stated their firm belief that there are people in the community who know what happened to Anthony Manning but have not yet come forward to share what they know.

The spring of 2009 was a difficult time for the city of London, as Anthony's murder was the second high-profile unsolved homicide in just two months. In late March, 25-year-old Lisa Leckie had been found murdered in her own apartment, a case that also generated significant public and police attention. While the cases are not publicly linked, they created a period of heightened concern and left two families searching for answers that have yet to come.

Years have passed, but the investigation into Anthony Manning's death remains open and active. His case is featured on the London Police Service's list of unsolved murders, a stark reminder that his killer has never been brought to justice. Investigators continue to appeal to the public for assistance, urging anyone with even the smallest piece of information to contact them. They emphasize that a seemingly insignificant detail could be the key to breaking the silence that has surrounded this case for over a decade.

As of May 2024, Anthony’s murder is an unsolved cold case. The London Police Service continues to ask for help from anyone who may have known Anthony, visited his apartment, or heard anything related to his death. They believe that a shift in relationships or a change in conscience could finally compel a witness to speak up and provide the answers needed to close this painful chapter for his loved ones and the community. Anyone with information is asked to contact the London Police Service or Crime Stoppers.