A $10,000 reward is now on the table for anyone who can help Dayton police solve the murder of 26-year-old Dominique Anderson, whose body was discovered in the trunk of a burning car more than a year ago. Several people have been interviewed in the case, but no one has been arrested or convicted, and his mother says she is still seeking closure and justice.
Miami Valley Crime Stoppers announced it is offering up to $10,000 for information that leads to a conviction in Anderson's death, according to WDTN. Anderson's body was found on June 1, 2025, inside the trunk of a burning car in an alley behind West Grand Avenue in Dayton. Dayton police said firefighters who arrived on scene first were the ones who discovered him.
The vehicle was identified as a black 2016 Kia Forte that belonged to Anderson's grandmother, which he had borrowed for the day, the station reported. Dayton police Detective Elizabeth Alley described the ownership of the car and called the killing heinous, saying investigators want to determine exactly what happened and why.
Fire Call Turned Up a Homicide
The case first came to light before dawn, when crews were dispatched around 3:35 a.m. to a fire assistance call on the 2000 block of West Grand Avenue, Dayton police Sgt. Richard Taylor told the Dayton Daily News. What firefighters found inside the burning vehicle turned a routine fire response into a homicide investigation. The Montgomery County Coroner's Office later identified the man found inside as Dominique Anderson, 26.
Dayton police say several people have been interviewed as part of the investigation, but the case remains unsolved. No arrests have been made, and no one has been convicted in connection with Anderson's death. Investigators hope the reward, paired with the promise of anonymity, will finally push someone with knowledge of the crime to speak up.
A Mother Still Waiting for Closure
Anderson's mother, Cynthia Armitage, has described the murder as devastating. She said she had to cremate her son and never got the chance to say goodbye to him in the way she wanted.
Armitage says she wants closure and justice for her son, and that she will keep fighting no matter how long it takes. She has said she hopes someone out there will do the right thing and come forward with what they know.
Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at 937-222-STOP. Tipsters are guaranteed anonymity, and the reward applies specifically to information that leads to a conviction in the case.
Miami Valley Crime Stoppers has used similar cash incentives in other unsolved Dayton-area killings. In one earlier case, the organization offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the 2019 fatal shooting of 23-year-old Damian Chancellor behind DJ's Furniture, according to a report from Yahoo News. For Armitage, though, the hope now rests on whether that same strategy can finally bring answers in her son's case.
