Cleveland Metroparks Double Murder will be on Netflix

NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio – A cold Cleveland Metroparks double murder case will be featured in a Netflix documentary series next week. “Unsolved Mysteries” examines the murders of 40-year-old Carnell “Nell” Sledge and 33-year-old Katherine “Kate” Brown, who were shot while sitting on a bench on the Rocky River Reservation in 2019.

On Saturday, her loved ones were in the park to raise awareness of the issue ahead of the Netflix premiere.

“We want to raise awareness and let people know that we are not giving up our fight for justice for Kate and Carnell,” said Lauren Rao, Kate Brown’s sister.

She and others sat at the bench in the Valley View Parkway exit parking lot north of Lorain Road. Bridge distributed signs, flyers and business cards to maintain interest in the case.

According to investigators with the Cleveland Metroparks Police Department and the Cleveland Division of the FBI, the longtime friends met on June 4, 2019, at the Rocky River Reservation.

Sledge and Brown were shot on the bank near the river sometime between 5:08 and 5:15 p.m

Kayakers found them about three minutes later.

The murders have yet to be solved.

“We don’t hear much because it’s an open investigation,” Rao said. “It's been five years too long. We miss her very much. “It's heartbreaking to stand here and know that two wonderful people were killed, their lives taken for no reason, in broad daylight, 15 meters from a busy road.” One hour on a sunny June day. You just can't, you never imagined this could happen to one of your loved ones in a safe suburb of Cleveland.

And the case will now attract global attention. On October 2nd, the new season of Netflix's “Unsolved Mysteries” will focus on the cold case of Sledge and Brown.

There is now a $100,000 reward for any information leading to the successful identification and prosecution of those responsible. As WKYC previously reported, the reward money is made up of $25,000 from the FBI, $5,000 from Crime Stoppers and $70,000 from the Brown family, for a total of up to $100,000.

Tips can be made to the FBI's Cleveland Division at (216) 622-6842, the Cleveland Metroparks Police Department at (440) 331-5219 or Crime Stoppers of Cuyahoga County at (216) 252-7463. Tips can remain anonymous.