Clarence Edward McCollum

A man is found shot in the back in a home
On a Saturday evening in the autumn of 2000, the life of a young man was cut tragically short in a crime that continues to trouble the community of Greensboro, North Carolina. Clarence Edward McCollum, a 24-year-old male, was killed on October 14, 2000. For more than two decades, his case has remained unsolved, leaving his loved ones without answers and his killer without justice. The few details that are public paint a stark picture of the violence that ended his life.

The incident unfolded on a residential street in Greensboro. At 8:16 p.m., officers from the Greensboro Police Department were dispatched to a single-family home at 1213 Tucker Street after receiving a call about a shooting. When they arrived at the modest, one-story house, they made a grim discovery. Inside the residence, they found Clarence McCollum deceased. A subsequent investigation and autopsy would confirm the violent nature of his death: he had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the back. His death was officially ruled a homicide.

The initial investigation by the Greensboro Police Department sought to piece together the events that led to the shooting. Detectives would have canvassed the neighborhood, a quiet area of small, post-war homes, looking for witnesses who might have seen or heard something unusual that evening. They would have processed the scene for forensic evidence, hoping to find clues that could lead them to the person or persons responsible. However, despite their efforts, the investigation stalled. No suspects were publicly identified, and no arrests were made, causing the case, cataloged under number 2000-231208, to go cold.

Clarence’s death was one of several unsolved homicides that occurred in Greensboro that year, a period marked by a number of violent crimes that have also remained without resolution. The Greensboro Police Department, however, does not give up on such cases. The department maintains a dedicated list of cold case homicides, emphasizing that these files are never truly closed. Detectives periodically review old cases, hoping that new technology, a fresh perspective, or a long-overdue witness statement might finally provide the missing piece needed to solve the puzzle.

Today, the investigation into the murder of Clarence Edward McCollum is ongoing. The Greensboro Police Department and the Greensboro/Guilford Crime Stoppers continue to appeal to the public for any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem. Someone may hold knowledge of what happened inside the house on Tucker Street that October night. A shift in allegiance, a guilty conscience, or the passage of time can often motivate someone to come forward with what they know.

The case remains a somber reminder of a life taken too soon and a family left to grapple with an enduring mystery. For investigators and the community, the goal remains unchanged: to bring a measure of peace to those who knew and loved Clarence and to hold the person responsible for his death accountable. Greensboro/Guilford Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $2,000 for information that leads to an arrest or indictment in the case. Anyone with information is urged to contact them at (336) 373-1000 or submit a tip online. Callers can remain completely anonymous.