Theo Vance Echols was a 32-year-old Black father from the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park who was shot and killed in the South Broadway neighborhood. In the early morning of August 27, 2022, residents on East 50th Street reported hearing a disturbance; about 4:30 a.m. one neighbor said two men argued for roughly five minutes, then five or six gunshots were heard and a vehicle sped away. A resident found Echols’ body at the end of her driveway and called 911. He had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators collected six 9 mm cartridge casings from the street and recovered a plastic cup, a cigar tip, a cell phone and keys from Echols’ person. Detectives learned Echols had told friends he was going to a party and may have been with a friend, Jerome Rivers, that night. The investigation later focused on Rivers, who was located at a hotel and charged in connection with the killing; he was convicted and received a sentence of 21 years to life. Is there anyone who knew Theo or saw activity on East 50th Street that night who can add information?