In the late summer of 2015, a grim discovery was made in a quiet Brockton, Massachusetts neighborhood. The body of a young Black/African American man, 24-year-old Christopher Mann of Roslindale, was found on the evening of Thursday, August 13. He had been the victim of a single gunshot wound.
Neighbors on Boylston Street had been troubled by a foul odor for a couple of days, which they noticed became more prominent after a recent rainfall.
One resident's concern ultimately led her to contact the authorities. When police arrived at an abandoned house on the street, they found Mann's body in the backyard. He was reportedly found wearing only his boxer shorts. For more than 18 hours, Massachusetts State Police and Brockton Police investigators processed the scene, looking for any evidence that could shed light on the homicide.
The investigation into Mann's death took a complex turn as authorities began to explore a possible connection to another recent family tragedy. Just a few months prior, in May of that same year, Christopher's half-brother, Kevin Mann, had also been shot and killed in Providence, Rhode Island. Investigators from Brockton traveled to Providence to share evidence and explore the theory that the two murders might be related. At the time of his death, Christopher Mann had recently returned to the area after spending a month in New Jersey. His family had reported him missing on August 7th.
Despite the ongoing and active investigation into his death, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in the murder of Christopher Mann. The case, along with that of his half-brother, remains an open and sorrowful chapter for their family, leaving more questions than answers as to who was responsible for the violent end to a young man's life.
