1 year since murder of former Cleveland mayor’s grandson: Where does the investigation stand?

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - It’s been a year since someone killed the former Cleveland Mayor’s grandson.

It’s still unclear who pulled the trigger, though, as Frank Q Jackson’s murder case remains open and unsolved.

19 Investigates featured his case in one of our recent Dark Side of the Land podcast series.

Now, we’re looking back on what’s happened in the last year since his death and whether detectives have any new leads.

Robert Shephard, the man accused of luring frank Q to the Heritage View homes last September is in jail. He’s awaiting his trial scheduled for next month.

We have yet to learn of any suspects or persons of interest in the actual shooting. We also haven’t been given a clear motive for the shooting.

However, county prosecutors named Frank Q a suspect in the 2019 killing of Antonio Parra outside this barber shop.

Frank Q’s car was towed from his house, but he was never charged in the case. In fact, Para’s murder also remains unsolved to this day.

You may remember when the county prosecutor, council members and other ethics attorneys were pushing then police Chief Calvin Williams to hand the case off to another department, considering it involved his boss’s family.

Reluctant to talk about the matter 19 News confronted the former chief on his way into a meeting.

When we asked why he wasn’t handing over the case involving the mayor’s grandson, he said, “Why should I?”

To our knowledge, the case never left CPD.

Williams retired along with Mayor Frank Jackson in January of 2022.

Now Chief Wayne Drummond has been with CPD for decades. He was on the force when both Frank Q and Parra died.

We asked him last month in our first sit down interview whether he has considered turning the Para case over to an outside agency, now that he’s in charge.

Chief Drummond said, “That’s not something I thought about, actually, until you just mentioned it. I have so many things that are taking place. But, I have not considered that, not thought about it.”

When we asked if he would be open to the idea, he replied, “I would have to discuss that with my staff, the mayor’s office and the homicide unit before making any type of statement regarding that.”

We’ve followed up several times since our interview on August 22nd, to see whether the Chief has spoken to his staff and or considered the decision any further. We have not gotten a reply.

Now, Frank Q’s nephew, the former Mayor’s great grandson is also accused of murder.

Police say Donald Jackson killed Crishawn Coleman in May. Coleman is the nephew of Robert Shephard, who we mentioned is in jail accused in Frank Q’s death.

The man once accused of burning a car that belonged to the former Cleveland mayor’s grandson is off the hook according to court records.

An arson charge was filed against James Greathouse last fall.

Police say they found Frank Q Jackson’s car torched a few days after after the 2019 murder of Antonio Parra.

A warrant for his arrest says police found Greathouse’s DNA on a hat at the scene near the burned Volkswagen Jetta.

When the arson case was terminated this month, court records show prosecutors reserved the right to bring the arson charges and any others against Greathouse at a later time.

Many including Anotnio Parra’s family attorney, wonder if the answer to who killed Para may reveal answers and or motives in several other open cases too, including Frank Q Jackson’s.

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