Christian Kilburg, 25, died of a gunshot wound at the Willogrove Apartments on Grove Avenue in Willoughby, Ohio, on April 14, 2022. The shooting occurred inside the shared apartment he occupied with his longtime friend and roommate, Kevin McCarthy.

McCarthy, also 25 at the time and a former Cleveland firefighter, called police and said the firearm discharged while he was playing with it. He was charged with reckless homicide, initially pleaded not guilty, then changed his plea to guilty. In court McCarthy expressed deep remorse; the judge found no evidence of intent to kill but held him responsible and imposed the maximum six-year sentence for reckless homicide with a firearm specification.

Family statements and McCarthy’s apology were reported at sentencing, and McCarthy was taken into custody to begin serving his term. Does anyone have memories of Christian or details about the apartment building that could shed light on his life and relationships?