Cory Crowe

Cory Michael Crowe, a 24-year-old Black man known for his joyous and ambitious spirit, had a bright future ahead of him. Known to loved ones as "Ace," he was a compassionate, outgoing, and generous person with plans to one day open his own barbershop. He was a devoted father to his young son, Cory Michael Crowe, Jr. At the time of his death, he was working at a fast-food drive-in and was only weeks away from completing his barber training. His family remembers his pure and giving heart, sharing stories of his kindness, like the time he bought a pair of sneakers for a teenager to encourage him to stay in school. A photo he took with his mother, Rose Smith, just one week before he died would be their last one together.

On the afternoon of Saturday, October 25, 2014, Cory was in his car in the Park Hill neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. He was at the intersection of South 25th Street and Standard Avenue when he was shot and killed. First responders were dispatched to the scene at 3:41 p.m., and he was pronounced dead less than half an hour later. While police have never publicly identified a motive for the shooting, his family believes it was a robbery that turned fatal.

The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) homicide unit launched an investigation immediately. Detectives received a report of shots fired and another of a man seen running from the area. A K-9 unit was deployed to search for a suspect, and investigators went door-to-door speaking with residents, but the trail went cold. No arrests have ever been made in connection with Cory's murder, and the case remains unsolved.

In the face of unimaginable loss, Cory's mother, Rose Smith, vowed that her son's death would not be in vain. A month after the shooting, she started a nonprofit organization called The ACE Project, which stands for "Acting Compassionately Everyday," in his honor. In an extraordinary act of turning pain into purpose, Smith eventually purchased the abandoned house on the corner where her son had been killed. She transformed the site of her greatest tragedy into The ACE Place, a community center and safe haven for local children, offering meals, art classes, and support.

The ACE Project has grown to include numerous programs aimed at helping underserved children and families affected by gun violence and trauma. Inspired by Cory's entrepreneurial dreams, the Academy of Child Entrepreneurship helps young people develop their own businesses. Other initiatives include mentorship programs for young men and women, summer enrichment camps, and a healing project for families. Smith also hosts support groups for other mothers who have lost children, creating a community from what she calls "a terrible club to belong to."

Every year on the anniversary of Cory's death, and for the first year on the 25th of every month, his family and friends gather at the corner where he died. The vigils have become a community event, a place to remember Cory, share stories, and find strength together. The gatherings often feature resources for healing, with organizations like Moms Demand Action and wellness buses in attendance. Family members say that while the pain of his loss has not lessened, they have found a better place in their minds to cope with the grief.

The investigation into Cory Crowe's homicide remains open, but as of October 2021, there have been no arrests. His family continues to advocate for justice and works to keep his memory alive through positive action in the community. "I'm not going to let my son's memory and his light diminish," Rose Smith has said. "I'm going to let it shine even brighter." The Louisville Metro Police Department asks anyone with information on the shooting death of Cory Crowe to call the anonymous police tip line at 574-LMPD.