A new season of Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries is here, and the latest installment of the investigative docuseries features the story of Kate Brown and Carnell “Nell” Sledge, two friends who were murdered in broad daylight at an Ohio park.
Five years later, family members and investigators ask for answers through the Unsolved Mysteries episode, “Park Bench Murders.” Here’s a recap of where the case stands today — including theories about who killed Kate and Carnell.
A Disturbing Discovery
In June 2019, a pair of kayakers were about to launch their boats at Rocky River Reservation near Cleveland. There, they discovered Kate and Carnell’s bodies by the water’s edge.
According to the docuseries, Kate and Carnell were longtime friends. Phone records showed that Carnell reached out to Kate to meet, though the purpose of their meeting that afternoon was unclear. They’d both been shot to death, but as investigators noted, their belongings were not taken, seemingly ruling out a robbery.
“I believe that this person believes that they got away with murder,” Carnell’s mother, Darlene, said in the doc. “But it’s not over. Someone knows what happened. Why they won’t come forward, I don’t know, but I pray that this is revealed.”
There Are Several Theories
Throughout Kate and Carnell’s Unsolved Mysteries episode, their loved ones discuss multiple theories explored after the murders.
Officials pursued and then ruled out several avenues, including a roofing professional who was in the parking lot at the time of the murders. Additionally, Carnell’s ex-girlfriend was “very cooperative” with investigators, according to Don Sylvis of the Cleveland Metroparks Police Department. The ex, Alyssa, who was interviewed for the docuseries, owned a gun, but it was not the murder weapon, the detective said. She was at work at the time of the murders.
Kate’s family members also considered her dating history, including a man she’d recently met on a dating app. She had described him as “off” and later learned he had allegedly been involved in a fatal stabbing.
They also recalled an allegedly abusive ex-boyfriend who was with Kate the night before she died. Both men were reportedly elsewhere at the time of Kate’s death, according to the docuseries. But Kate’s mother, Kim, maintained in Unsolved Mysteries that the theory of a jealous ex-boyfriend “makes sense to her.”
She added, “Jealousy, when it rears its ugly head… who knows? And whoever did this was very brazen.”
Carnell & Kate’s Case Today
According to local news station WJW, there was a “new push” into the case this summer. Cleveland Metroparks Police Chief Kelly Stillman told the outlet that while the department couldn’t share details, they’d be taking the case to a “larger population.” It’s unclear if Stillman was referring to the new season of Unsolved Mysteries, which would certainly shine a much wider spotlight on the case.
“Maybe somewhere, someone may see it and that may be the break we need,” Stillman said. “To this day, we haven’t given up and we will not give up.”
For now, Kate and Carnell’s families are remembering their lost loved ones. Kate’s sister, Lauren, said in Unsolved Mysteries that Kate “had been on a path of self-discovery for years,” and was in a good place with her life and career. “She was vibrant. She was happy.”
Terrance called his brother a “role model” and “teddy bear,” while Carnell’s grandmother, Audrey, remembered him as someone willing to help others.
“He coached children with disabilities, and they would have so much fun,” his mother added. “He was so patient, and they loved him. They miss him so much. To this day, they still talk about Carnell.”
