Cordarrius Cornell Brown

A resident of Bartlett, Tennessee, Cordarrius Cornell Brown was remembered by those who loved him as a humble and kind-hearted man with a wonderful smile. The 27-year-old Black man, known affectionately to some as "CB," was a former student at Raleigh-Egypt High School in Memphis. His life, however, came to a sudden and violent end in a city he knew well, leaving a permanent void in the lives of his family and friends.

The tragedy unfolded in the late afternoon of Wednesday, November 15, 2023. At approximately 5:00 p.m., Memphis Police Department officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 3300 block of Lamar Avenue in the Parkway Village area. Arriving at the scene near a Love's Travel Stop, they discovered a man inside a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency services pronounced him deceased at the location. Authorities later identified the victim as Cordarrius Cornell Brown.

The investigation into the homicide was launched by the Memphis Police Department. In the immediate aftermath, police cruisers and crime scene tape cordoned off the area as detectives began their work. The vehicle where Cordarrius was found became the focus of the initial inquiry, but authorities have not publicly released details about the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting. Information regarding a potential motive, or whether Cordarrius was the intended target, has not been disclosed.

As of late 2023, no arrests had been announced in connection with the killing, and no suspects or persons of interest have been publicly identified. The case remains an active and ongoing investigation. Police have urged anyone who may have witnessed the event or has any information that could aid their investigation to come forward. The area of Lamar Avenue where the shooting occurred is a major commercial thoroughfare, suggesting there may have been potential witnesses in the vicinity at that time of day.

In the days following his shocking death, those who knew and loved Cordarrius gathered to mourn their profound loss. A visitation was held on Friday, November 24, 2023, at the M.J. Edwards Funeral Home Stage Road Chapel in Memphis. A funeral service took place at the same location the next morning, allowing a community of grieving friends and family to share memories and find comfort together. Cordarrius was laid to rest later that day at Memphis Memory Gardens.

Online, a memorial page became a space for people to light virtual candles and leave messages remembering the man they had lost. Friends and loved ones recalled his warm, humble, and kind-hearted personality. These digital tributes, along with heartfelt condolences left on his obituary page, paint a picture of a cherished individual whose absence is deeply felt by many. The simple messages speak volumes about the positive impact he had on the lives he touched.

The homicide of Cordarrius Cornell Brown remains unsolved, and his family is left waiting for answers and for justice to be served. The Memphis Police Department continues to seek information from the public that could provide a breakthrough in the case. A reward may be available for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with knowledge of the shooting that occurred in the 3300 block of Lamar Avenue on November 15, 2023, is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH.