Carolyn Bradley

A beloved wife and mother is shot and killed during a robbery at a local store
In the quiet, rural community of Independence Township, a shocking act of violence shattered the morning calm in June of 1990. Carolyn Sue Bradley, a 40-year-old female, was at her job as a clerk at the Highland Meadows general store when she was shot twice. A customer entering the store discovered the horrifying scene, finding her lying on the floor. Although she was still alive when found, Carolyn Sue, a wife and mother of four, succumbed to her injuries on the way to the hospital.

Investigators with little evidence to go on pieced together what they could. An unusual vehicle, an early seventies model green Ford Maverick, spotted by a witness ultimately led them to their primary suspect, a West Virginia man. Despite identifying a person of interest, law enforcement was never able to gather enough evidence to formally charge him in connection with the murder. The case grew cold, leaving a lingering sense of injustice in the community.

Years later, the main suspect in Carolyn Sue Bradley's murder died in 2008 from health-related issues while incarcerated for an unrelated armed robbery in West Virginia. He was never brought to justice for the shooting at the general store. The death of Carolyn Sue Bradley remains an unsolved homicide, a painful memory for her family and a frustrating loose end for the investigators who, to this day, remember the clear June morning that was darkened by such a senseless act.