Ohio officials have reclassified a 1991 discovery of skeletal remains in Garfield Heights as a homicide after the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner amended the death certificate on April 30, 2026. The victim, a Black male estimated to be 18–21 years old and found by children, had a ligature around his neck; a handwritten note was found inside one shoe. Authorities urge anyone with information to call 216-721-5610 to help identify the man and advance the investigation.
1991 Ohio Cold Case Reclassified as Homicide After Skeletal Remains Found With Note in Shoe
Shoes from case 1963; Note from case 1963Credit: Ohio Attorney General (2)
Ohio authorities have renewed efforts to identify a young Black man whose skeletal remains were discovered behind 4954 East 81st Street in Garfield Heights on Sept. 11, 1991. Children playing in the area located the remains, triggering an investigation that has now been reopened and reclassified.
Credit: Ohio Attorney General
Case Reclassified as Homicide
On April 30, 2026, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office amended the death certificate to list the cause of death as homicide. Officials say the office has placed renewed emphasis on identification and additional forensic work as part of an active investigation.
Credit: Ohio Attorney General
Evidence and Findings
Dr. Thomas Gilson of the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office described the circumstances as "incredibly suspicious." Examiners found a ligature around the man's neck and other findings that point more strongly toward foul play than to a noncriminal cause. At the time of the original inquiry the death had been recorded as "violence of undetermined origin."
Credit: Ohio Attorney General
Victim Description and Items Recovered
The decedent is described as a Black male, estimated to be between 18 and 21 years old. He was wearing a red short-sleeve shirt, Levi blue jeans (size 34 waist by 30 long), tan boxer-type undergarments, white socks and a pair of Nike tennis shoes with green and purple striping. Investigators also recovered a handwritten note placed inside one shoe that read: "We can't wait to see you! Love Cynthia and Boo Boo."
How You Can Help
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the man's identity or the circumstances of his death to contact the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office at 216-721-5610. Public tips could be critical to resolving a case that has remained unsolved for more than three decades.
Sources: Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office, Ohio Attorney General, WOIO, PEOPLE.
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