On the evening of May 14, 2000, the Barberton Police Department responded to a tragic scene at the residence of Edward Rhodes and his girlfriend, Michelli Wilson, on Bell Street in Barberton, Ohio. Earlier that day, Wilson’s daughter stopped by to visit her mother and found both Rhodes and Wilson deceased in the bedroom. Rhodes, age 30, and Wilson had both suffered fatal gunshot wounds.
The investigation determined that the pair had likely been dead for nearly twenty hours before their bodies were discovered. Witnesses reported they had last been seen alive around midnight the night before.
This double homicide shocked the community and left law enforcement with limited leads. Despite extensive investigative efforts by the Barberton Police Department and the involvement of the Ohio Attorney General's Cold Case Unit, the case remains unsolved. Rhodes, who was remembered as a kind and thoughtful individual, had no known connections to violent criminal activity, which has deepened the mystery surrounding the motive and the circumstances leading up to the fatal encounter.
The Ohio Attorney General continues to seek tips from the public, hoping that someone with knowledge of the case will come forward to assist in resolving this cold case. The community and family members continue to seek justice, with hopes that renewed attention might help bring closure to the lives affected by this devastating loss.
