Seven years have passed since Johnshae Boyd Bey, known to loved ones as “Man Man,” was shot and killed in Cleveland, and his mother says the sleepless nights haven't stopped. Kenneta Boyd Bey says she has nights and days when she does not rest, and that the people involved in her son's death remain at large, according to reporting from News 5 Cleveland WEWS.
Johnshae Boyd Bey was killed on Sept. 16, 2019, according to wkyc.com. He had come back to Cleveland from Miami, where he was living at the time, to attend his grandfather's funeral, according to Cleveland Scene. Per News 5 Cleveland WEWS, he was preparing to return to Miami and had gone to visit a friend at apartments on East Boulevard when he was shot and killed.
Cleveland Scene reports that Boyd Bey drove his grey, rainbow-wrapped Corvette to the Park Place Apartments, where he was shot and killed. His family had plans and dreams for him that were cut short, and in the years since, they have marked graduations, weddings and new babies without him, per the station's report.
Detectives Say the Case Remains Open
Cleveland police homicide detectives are still investigating the murder and have looked into various leads over the years, vetting every lead and tip that comes in, per the same account. No killer has been identified and no arrest has been made, the station reports. Cleveland Police Sgt. Freddie Diaz said the information investigators have has not led to an arrest, and the department has said it will not be satisfied until the case is closed.
Investigators believe the rainbow-colored Corvette Boyd Bey was driving that day may be key evidence in the case, according to News 5 Cleveland, which reported that he was driving a unique, rainbow-colored Chevrolet Corvette that day. Diaz has said the car is unusual and would stand out, a detail investigators hope could jog someone's memory or lead to a tip.
A Mother's Ongoing Search
Kenneta Boyd Bey has continued to seek justice for her son by using social media and passing out flyers, keeping his memory close even as the years stretch on. Per wkyc.com, she has kept her son's case in front of people by posting online, making calls and sending emails. Cleveland police investigators say they have evidence and information from the scene but still need more before they can potentially make an arrest, according to a report on Websleuths.
Patricia Meehan has said people were in the area when the murder occurred and that someone likely has information about what happened, per the News 5 Cleveland report. Crime Stoppers of Cuyahoga County is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest, though accounts of the exact payout condition differ — wkyc.com described it as tied to an arrest and indictment, while Cleveland Scene described the reward as tied to an arrest and conviction. Crime Stoppers accepts anonymous tips, and anyone with information is asked to call 216-252-7463.
A City's Broader Homicide Struggle
The case unfolds against a backdrop of stark local violence statistics. A 2019 Cleveland Health Department report cited by Cleveland Scene put the city's firearm homicide rate at 30.7 per 100,000 residents, roughly three times the national rate of 11.9 per 100,000 at the time. The outlet also reported that Cleveland's homicide clearance rate hovered near 50% for many recent years before Mayor Justin Bibb said it had climbed to near 80%.
For Kenneta Boyd Bey, those citywide numbers offer little comfort while her son's case remains open. Seven years after Man Man's death, she keeps his memory close and keeps pushing — through flyers, phone calls and social media — for the tip that finally brings police to an arrest.
