On January 5, 2019, 28-year-old Kenneth Valentine and his friend 27-year-old Christopher Johnson were found murdered inside a residence on Sharon Avenue in Indianapolis. Discovery came after Johnson’s mother, unable to reach him, sent a relative to check on him; officers found Valentine in the living room and Johnson in the kitchen area. These were the city’s first homicides of 2019.

Those who knew Kenneth described him as a kind person with a beautiful soul and personality. The families were left devastated, and Johnson’s mother has said she believes her son and Valentine likely knew the killer and that their trusting nature may have been exploited. Despite investigative work by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, no arrests or public suspect identifications have been announced and the investigation later went cold. In September 2020, Johnson’s family offered a reward to generate new leads, supplementing a Crime Stoppers reward.

If anyone knew Kenneth or Christopher, lived on or near Sharon Avenue, or has information that could help resolve these killings, please come forward.