On the evening of October 15, 2023, shots were reported on the 200 block of Race Street in Lexington, Kentucky. Officers arrived after 9:16 p.m. and found a man with a critical gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:09 p.m.; the Fayette County Coroner’s Office later identified him as 47-year-old Esaud Cortes after an initial misidentification as Samuel Lopez was corrected by the victim’s son.

Detectives from the Personal Crimes Section opened a homicide investigation. The suspect fled before officers arrived, and no detailed description or arrest has been released. As of March 2024 the case remained unsolved and is listed on the Lexington Police Department’s unsolved homicide page as authorities continue to seek tips.

If anyone was in the Race Street area that night or has information about Esaud Cortes or the shooting, please contact the Lexington Police Department.