Hamilton County politicians and Cincinnati police establish task force for unsolved cases

CINCINNATI (WXIX) –

Cincinnati police hosted a barbecue on Sunday for survivors who have lost friends and family to violence.

FOX19's Jessica Schmidt was at the barbecue to speak with the families. She tells us that Cincinnati police and Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers announced they are teaming up to create a task force to look into unsolved cases.

Tracy Morris lost her son, Antwan Morris, in November 2021 when she says he was shot while on the job as a handyman. She and other survivors who have lost loved ones to crime in Cincinnati gathered at the barbecue.

“Many of us have lost loved ones and some of us are lucky that the person is arrested, and then there are those [that are] “The people here are still not finished and have no one to hold accountable for the crimes committed against their families,” Morris said.

Karen Rumsey of the CPD's Victims Assistance Liason Unit spoke at the barbecue and said that judge and prosecutor candidates were also present to speak with the survivors.

“It's important for these families, families with solved and unsolved cases, to be informed about who is running for what and what impact that will have on their loved one's case,” Rumsey said.

The CPD assigns two detectives exclusively to work on unsolved homicide cases, and Powers has four of his retired homicide detectives work for the CPD.

Monica Benton of the CPD says it's important that people contact them if they have any information as work begins on these unsolved cases. She says there are services in place to help protect witnesses.

To report information about a homicide, please call Crime Stoppers or Cincinnati Police at 513-352-3920.

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