A man is found dead in a park Johnny Crosby Jr. was remembered by his sister for his towering height, big smile, and a zest for life that he maintained despite a difficult childhood. One of five siblings, he was the younger brother his sister, Tecresa Strange, looked up to—both literally and figuratively. She recalled him having a "natural full hair" and a comforting presence. Johnny, a 30-year-old African-American man, had survived an abusive childhood and a broken home. In the time before his death, he had reconnected with his sister, and life seemed to be moving in a positive direction for him.
The evening of Thursday, April 25, 2013, is when Johnny's life was cut short. That night, police in Greensboro, North Carolina, received a report of gunshots in the area of Douglas Park, a public space meant for children and community recreation. However, when officers responded, they found nothing out of the ordinary.
It wasn't until the following day, Friday, April 26, that the tragic outcome of those gunshots was discovered. Around 7:09 p.m., while it was still daylight, Johnny's body was found in the park near the basketball courts. He had suffered significant trauma and died from multiple gunshot wounds in what investigators quickly determined was an intentional killing.
The Greensboro Police Department began a homicide investigation, but they were immediately at a disadvantage. "It's going to be a tough case, because it occurred on Thursday night. We didn't locate Mr Crosby deceased until Friday evening," Cpl. Mike Matthews of the GPD Cold Case unit later explained. "You have a 24-hour late jump." Investigators cordoned off the park, canvassed the area for evidence, and spoke with neighbors and anyone who knew Johnny, but the case yielded very little information from the start.
Detectives struggled to piece together Johnny's final hours and find a reason for his presence in the park that night. "We’re missing a piece," Cpl. Matthews said. "The piece we’re missing is why was he in the park to begin with?” Sgt. Brian Pilcher with the Greensboro Police noted the lack of cooperation, stating, "I just think someone saw something or someone knows something and they're afraid to come forward... We just got very little information on this case from the very beginning.” Without witnesses or a clear motive, the investigation eventually hit a wall, and no significant suspects have ever been identified.
Years later, Johnny's family continues to hold out hope for answers and justice. His sister Tecresa has prayed for the person or people responsible to come forward and find peace by telling the truth. "We just want justice," she said. "I don't even have hatred anymore for the person or people that did it. I have prayed for them." She imagines her brother, whom she called "JJ," in heaven, happy and at peace under a big tree, and dreams of the day she can tell him, "We did it... We did it."
As of January 2016, the murder of Johnny Crosby Jr. remains an unsolved cold case. The Greensboro Police Department continues to seek the missing piece of the puzzle that could finally explain why he was in Douglas Park and who took his life. Authorities urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. Individuals can contact the Greensboro/Guilford Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000, where they can remain anonymous. 
