Five years after gunfire tore through a packed off-campus party near the University of Akron, killing 18-year-old Maya McFetridge and 25-year-old Alex Beasley, no one has ever been charged, and the victims' families say the wait is taking a physical toll. Beasley's mother, Keesha Wilson, says she suffered a stroke in 2023 that she attributes directly to the stress of her son's unsolved murder.
The shooting happened during a large party near Kling and Wheeler streets in the early hours of September 19, 2021, according to News 5 Cleveland. A fight broke out at the gathering, and shots struck Beasley along with McFetridge, who died at the scene. Beasley held on for five days before he died at Cleveland Clinic Akron General, and a third young man survived his injuries, according to statements from the University of Akron issued after the shooting.
Wilson has spent five years hoping for a break in the case. She told News 5 Cleveland she hopes her son's murder will be solved before she dies, and she has urged anyone with information to come forward, saying the victims deserve justice. Her husband, Damione, Beasley's stepfather, was diagnosed with lung cancer and died in November, according to the same report, adding another layer of loss to a family still waiting for answers.
A Wall of Silence at a Crowded Party
McFetridge's mother, Cheryl Rossbach, has described how police told her in 2025 that her daughter died after shots were fired at the 2021 party, per the station's report. The case remains an active investigation, and Akron police detective Christopher Brown has said the public's help could provide information to turn the case around, according to News 5 Cleveland.
Investigators have long struggled to crack the case despite the large gathering before the gunfire started. Detectives ran into significant difficulty securing eyewitness accounts or direct video evidence identifying the gunman, per CBC Radio, which reported that police interviewed dozens of attendees but found limited cooperative witness testimony. Akron police did release video showing two persons of interest wearing white T-shirts, but the double murder remains unsolved.
Beasley was known for his hugs, his laugh and his love of music, while McFetridge, a 2021 graduate of Berea-Midpark High School, had just started her freshman year at the University of Akron on a full scholarship to study art, according to The Education Foundation of Berea City School District. She was known for gifting original artwork to teachers and administrators who inspired her. The supplied scholarship page lists the Maya McFetridge Memorial Scholarship but does not provide an establishment date, eligibility details or award dates.
University Poured Money Into Off-Campus Safety
The University of Akron Board of Trustees authorized a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case, though News 5 Cleveland reports its current status is unclear. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Summit County Crime Stoppers at 330-434-COPS, and tips can also be directed to the Akron police detective bureau at 330-375-2490.
In the aftermath of the shooting, then-University of Akron President Gary L. Miller announced a wave of off-campus security initiatives, including funding for 50 city police cameras in the South of Exchange Street neighborhood and a partnership with the Ohio State Highway Patrol for weekend night patrols. That November, the university appointed 13-year police veteran Kerry Jackson as its first Director of Off-Campus Safety and opened a public safety substation at 160 East Exchange Street, creating a permanent security presence in the rental neighborhoods south of campus. A July 21, 2025, City of Akron OnBase agenda mentions the South of Exchange Public Safety Camera District initiative and the University of Akron.
The case has not faded from public attention. In August 2024, Cleveland 19 News investigative reporter Kelly Kennedy revisited the killings in an episode of the true-crime podcast series Dark Side of the Land titled College House Party Killer, re-examining physical leads and interviewing lead detectives alongside the victims' families.
Violence Near Campus Has Not Stopped
Off-campus violence near the University of Akron has remained a persistent concern well beyond the 2021 shooting. A fatal shooting struck nearby Sherman Street on January 25, 2026, while a February homicide on Nash Street was reported by Hoodline, underscoring how student safety concerns near campus have persisted into 2026.
The pattern fits into a broader citywide picture. Akron recorded 25 homicides in 2024, down from 26 in 2023 and 43 in 2022. The broader discussion also reaches mid-2025. For Wilson and Rossbach, those citywide trends offer little comfort while the case of their children remains open. As Wilson has said, anyone holding onto information about what happened that night owes it to the victims to finally come forward.
