June 4, 2019. Fairview Park, Ohio. 40-year old Carnell Sledge and his 33-year old friend, Kate Brown, agree to meet up at the Rocky River Reservation in the Cleveland Metroparks and they each drive there in their respective vehicles. Within 15 minutes of their arrival, Carnell and Kate are both fatally shot in the head near a park bench and the perpetrator manages to flee the scene without anyone seeing or hearing anything. Investigators look into the backgrounds of both victims to see if anyone had a motive to harm them, but are unable to turn up any evidence to implicate anyone and the crime remains unsolved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a baffling double homicide known as the “Park Bench Murders”.

Additional Reading:

https://www.clevescene.com/news/four-years-later-officials-report-no-progress-in-metroparks-double-homicide-cold-case-but-fresh-hope-comes-with-national-coverage-42872823/

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/they-didnt-deserve-to-die-this-way-sister-hopes-unsolved-mysteries-episode-can-help-find-sisters-killer

https://www.cleveland19.com/2024/10/03/murder-metroparks-new-dark-side-podcast-goes-inside-unsolved-fairview-park-killings/

https://www.cleveland19.com/2025/06/04/trace-dna-found-metroparks-double-murder-scene-could-lead-suspect/

https://www.cleveland19.com/2025/05/30/possible-connection-between-5-year-old-double-murder-west-park-murder-suicide-metroparks/

https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/crime/cold-cases/families-kate-brown-carnell-sledge-statement-cleveland-metroparks-police-update-double-homicide-investigation/95-16545e66-98a0-4e17-9220-4c69d5b7b12e

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnsolvedMysteries/comments/1fweqc9/ama_im_jeff_a_friend_of_carnell_sledge_here_to/

“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.

The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.

All music is composed by Vince Nitro.