Roshawn McBroom

In the final days of 2003, the life of Roshawn McBroom, a 28-year-old Black man, came to a violent and unresolved end in Columbus, Ohio. On Sunday, December 28, 2003, the incident that led to his death occurred on Courtright Road, a thoroughfare in the southeastern part of the city. More than two decades later, the specific details of what happened to Roshawn remain shrouded in mystery, and his death is officially classified as an unsolved homicide, leaving a family and community with unanswered questions.

The Columbus Division of Police responded to the incident and opened an investigation into Roshawn's death. However, the case grew cold as leads failed to develop into arrests or a definitive conclusion. The circumstances of his killing, including the exact time, location, and manner of death, have not been publicly detailed by authorities. Without witnesses stepping forward or new evidence emerging, the trail of those responsible for taking Roshawn's life went cold, and the investigation stalled.

His case is now listed in the state's database of unsolved homicides, maintained by the Ohio Attorney General's office. This inclusion ensures that Roshawn McBroom is not forgotten by law enforcement and that his file remains open. Cold case investigators with the Columbus Police Department and the state's Bureau of Criminal Investigation periodically review such cases, hoping that new technology, such as advancements in DNA analysis, or a person with long-held information will finally provide the missing piece of the puzzle needed to solve the crime.

Courtright Road, where the events leading to Roshawn's death unfolded, is a long road that runs through residential neighborhoods and commercial areas on the Southeast Side of Columbus. This part of the city, like any major urban area, has faced its share of challenges, and violent crime is a reality that law enforcement and residents continually work to address. In 2003, Columbus recorded dozens of homicides, each one representing a profound loss and a complex investigation. Roshawn's case became one of the many that year that would carry over, unresolved, into the next.

For the family and friends of Roshawn McBroom, the years have passed, but the pain and uncertainty of his death remain. The absence of justice compounds the grief of losing a loved one so suddenly and violently. With no arrests made and no one held accountable, there is no closure for those who knew and cared for him. The silence surrounding his case is a heavy burden, a constant reminder of a life cut short and a crime left unpunished.

As of today, the investigation into the homicide of Roshawn McBroom is inactive but remains open. The Columbus Division of Police and the Ohio Attorney General's Office continue to seek any information that could lead to a breakthrough. They urge anyone who may have seen or heard something on or around Courtright Road on December 28, 2003, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. A small, forgotten detail could be the key that unlocks the truth and finally brings justice to Roshawn and his loved ones.