CLEVELAND (WJW) — The FOX 8 I-TEAM has learned of a new development in the investigation into the unsolved murders of a young man and woman in the Cleveland Metroparks in 2019.
A man made headlines weeks ago when police believe he carried out a murder-suicide nearby, and we’ve confirmed police now are looking at whether or not he had anything to do with the murders of Kate Brown and Carnell Sledge in the Rocky River Reservation.
The Metroparks released a statement to the I-TEAM saying: “Cleveland Metroparks Police continue to pursue leads into the double homicide of Kate Brown and Carnell Sledge. Our detectives are investigating whether Bryan Hurt has any potential connection to the 2019 double homicide.”
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We shared the news with the father of Kate Brown, and he reacted with “that’s huge.”
Tom Brown expressed confidence in detectives.
“We speculate was it the same gun that was used? Was it this? Was it that?” he said. “If there is a link to be found between Kate and Carnell and this West Park incident, the detectives will find it.”
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Hurt, 66, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a vehicle in the parking lot of Groth Memorial & Scenic Overlook.
Police believe he shot his 68-year-old neighbor, Thomas Overall, on Munn Road earlier in the day. They believe he then drove about a mile and a half and took his own life.
“Anybody living leaves clues. Anybody deceased leaves clues,” Metroparks Police Chief Kelly Stillman said.
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He said police are taking a closer look at Hurt from the West Park incident because of where the shootings occurred and more.
“There were some similarities that we felt warranted an in-depth look at him. His background and several other things, because of the ongoing investigation, I can’t allude to,” the chief said.
The I-TEAM has shown you that Hurt had a history of trouble with the law and neighbors, including doing time for an attack in a courtroom.
The city also just gave the I-TEAM nearly two-dozen incident reports from the last two years involving Hurt. Some show Hurt complaining about neighbors. Others show claims of Hurt making threats. But, the focus now is on 2019.
The mother of Carnell Sledge also reacted to a possible connection between the West Park suspect and the Metroparks murders.
“I want to say it’s encouraging only because it’s been six years and we’ve never gotten this far,” Darlene Sledge said. “This person, I never heard of him until I saw him on TV, and it made me think back to Nell and Kate. Could this be connected? Because of the area.”
There’s no word on how long it will take to tell if there’s a connection. Either way, the families of the victims want to know for sure what the evidence shows.
“Let’s hope it pans out. If it doesn’t, we’ll keep our hopes high. That’s all,” Tom Browns said.
This is a developing story with more to follow on FOX 8 and fox8.com
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