Kevin Leathers

Do you know who murdered Kevin Leathers?
Kevin Ramon Leathers was a 41-year-old African-American man whose life was violently cut short in the spring of 2013, leaving behind a family tormented by unanswered questions. His loved ones remember him, and the pain of his absence remains a sharp, persistent ache in their lives. The brutality of his death was so severe that it robbed them of a final goodbye. "My heart still hurts. We just miss him," his sister, Jacqueline Carroway, later said.

In the first minutes of Tuesday, April 30, 2013, the Durham Police Department received a call that brought them to a house at 1811 Guess Road in the North Durham area. At 12:09 a.m., officers arrived at the single-story residence and went inside. There, they made a grim discovery: Kevin Leathers was dead. Investigators quickly determined he had not died of natural causes; he had been beaten to death. The violence inflicted upon him was extreme. His sister later shared the horrific consequence of his injuries: "It was horrible. Imagine making arrangements, and then you have to unmake them because his face was so disfigured. We couldn't bury him."

The investigation into Kevin's murder began immediately, led by the Durham Police Department. Detectives processed the scene at the Guess Road home, a residential street running through a mix of neighborhoods in the northern part of the city. Despite their efforts, a clear motive for the savage attack did not emerge in the initial days and weeks of the investigation. There were no immediate arrests, and no suspects were publicly identified. The case fell to the department's homicide investigators, who were tasked with unraveling the events that led to Kevin's death.

As days turned into years, Kevin’s family has been relentless in their pursuit of justice. They have remained in close contact with the police, checking frequently for any new developments or leads. Their hope rests on the possibility that someone, somewhere, holds the key to solving the case. His daughter, KeShaunna Green, spoke with certainty about the person or people responsible, believing they cannot escape their own conscience. "I know their conscious is eating them alive. I know it is," she said. "It will come. Their day will come. It will come."

The family's public pleas for information are a testament to their enduring love for Kevin and their deep need for closure. In the hopes of encouraging someone to come forward, the Durham Police Department announced that a reward was being offered for information that could lead to an arrest. The specific details of the reward were not released, but the family hoped any financial incentive would be enough to break the silence.

As of today, the murder of Kevin Leathers remains an open and unsolved case, one of many cold cases on the files of the Durham Police Department. Investigators are still seeking a motive and trying to identify who is responsible for his brutal killing. The case is featured on the Durham CrimeStoppers website, a constant reminder of a life taken too soon and a family still waiting for justice.

Authorities continue to urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. Anyone with knowledge about the case is asked to call the Durham Police Department at (919) 560-4440, ext. 29337, or to provide an anonymous tip to CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards for information that leads to a felony arrest, and callers never have to reveal their names.