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Boston police recently created an online dashboard of unsolved homicides dating back to 1963, compiling decades of cases into one place — including dozens that have gone unsolved for 50 years. “We certainly want the loved ones of these victims to know that we remember them, but this is not a memorial, it is seeking information. These are cases that we need assistance solving,” said Sgt. Det. Nick Moore, a member of the department’s homicide unit, helped work on the site. “Everyone listed on these unsolved pages had a life that existed before this trauma happened to them. They have loved ones who want to know what happened to them,” Moore said. Listed by year on the Homicide Unit section on police.boston.gov, the dashboard was compiled from existing department records. It includes recent victims like 18-year-old Leroy Ryner and 20-year-old Kareem Daveiga-Booth, killed nine days apart in January, and stretches back to James Smith, 32, shot in 1963 — the first case listed on the page. Each entry includes the victim’s name, age, date, location and cause of death, confirmed as homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. It’s a step in transparency long-awaited by advocates. “We are glad to see it happening ... it’s really long overdue,” said Clementina Chéry, president of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute. Chéry lost her own son, Louis D. Brown, to gun violence three decades ago and has since made it her mission to support other survivors. This spring, the Peace Institute co-authored a report with Northeastern University calling for such a tool to improve public awareness and survivor outreach. Among the listed Boston cases are 40 people who were killed in 1975 — none of their cases solved, their loved ones left to carry not only the weight of grief but also heavy, unanswered questions. Here are the names of Boston’s homicide victims whose cases have gone unsolved for 50 years. All individuals’ deaths have been determined homicides by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Edward J. Belmonte Date of incident: January 23, 1975 Location of incident: Parking 28 to 52 Northern Ave. in Boston Cause/manner/manner of death: Shooting Arthur Coyne Date of incident: January 31, 1975 Location of incident: Stage Deli at 130 Boylston St. in Boston Cause/manner of death: Homicide Thomas Murphy Date of incident: February 3, 1975 Location of incident: Gulf gas station at 1563 Blue Hill Ave. in Mattapan Cause/manner of death: Shooting Elmer Menard Date of incident: February 8, 1975 Location of incident: 58 Devonshire St. in Boston Cause/manner of death: Stabbing Charles James Date of incident: February 8, 1975 Location of incident: 16 East Brookline St. in Boston Cause/manner of death: Trauma, homicide Leonard D. Bonds Date of incident: February 17, 1975 Location of incident: Terrace and Tremont streets in Roxbury Cause/manner of death: Shooting David W. Coulter Date of incident: February 22, 1975 Location of incident: 102 Revere St., Apt. #2 in Boston Cause/manner of death: Homicide Thomas Person Date of incident: March 1, 1975 Location of incident: 80 Stratton St. in Dorchester Cause/manner of death: Stabbing James L. Jones Date of incident: March 4, 1975 Location of incident: In a field off Sarsfield Street, about 150 feet from Columbus Avenue Cause/manner of death: Shooting Henry Kimble Date of incident: March 7, 1975 Location of incident: Navarre and American Legion Highway Cause/manner of death: Stabbing Mark M. Shamon Date of incident: March 11, 1975 Location of incident: In front of building at 204 W. 9th St. in South Boston Cause/manner of death: Shooting Debbie Ann Counts Date of incident: March 20, 1975 Location of incident: In field across from 65-85 Allerton St. in Roxbury Cause/manner of death: Assault/homicide Fletch Kelsey Date of incident: March 29, 1975 Location of incident: In hallway of 10 Bickford St. in Roxbury Cause/manner of death: Stabbing Juan Claudio AKA Claudio P. Cruz Date of incident: March 30, 1975 Location of incident: Fayette & Charles St. in Boston Cause/manner of death: Stabbing Lawrence Russo Date of incident: March 31, 1975 Location of incident: First floor apartment at 59 S. Huntington Ave. in Boston Cause/manner of death: Trauma/homicide John F. Kenner Date of incident: April 21, 1975 Location of incident: On sidewalk outside 2850 Washington St. in Roxbury Cause/manner of death: Shooting Jean E. Doherty Date of incident: May 17, 1975 Location of incident: Railroad tracks near near of Chapel 65 Northern Ave. in Boston Cause/manner of death: Trauma/homicide Ralph Colarusso Date of incident: May 22, 1975 Location of incident: Mobile gas station at 588 Commercial St. in Boston Cause/manner of death: Shooting Joseph T. Conley Date of incident: June 9, 1975 Location of incident: 219 Bunker Hill Street, Charlestown — A.V.F.W. Post Cause/manner of death: Shooting Harriet Vincent Date of incident: June 11, 1975 Location of incident: Basement room of 6 Hestia Rd. in Roxbury Cause/manner of death: Homicide Richard F. Day Date of incident: June 27, 1975 Location of incident: Backyard of 174 Brooks St. in East Boston Cause/manner of death: Shooting Ulisis Santiago Date of incident: July 3, 1975 Location of incident: 9 Cortez St. in Boston Cause/manner of death: Stabbing James L. Gorman Jr. Date of incident: July 13, 1975 Location of incident: Roadway in front of 7 Melrose St. Cause/manner of death: Shooting Diane Bryant Date of incident: July 22, 1975 Location of incident: 129 Marlboro St. in Boston Cause/manner of death: A fire broke out in the building and Bryant fell five floors as a result of the collapse of a fire escape, as she waited to be rescued. Radames Robles Date of incident: July 26, 1975 Location of incident: Dudley and Adams Streets Cause/manner of death: Trauma/homicide Edward Hall Date of incident: August 2, 1975 Location of incident: Sidewalk on Washington Street at West Newton Street Cause/manner of death: Stabbing Ruth B. Pearson Date of incident: August 23, 1975 Location of incident: Middle of the field at Madison Park in Roxbury Cause/manner of death: Shooting William Christopher Livingstone Date of incident: August 29, 1975 Location of incident: Street of 145 Tremont St. in Boston Cause/manner of death: Stabbing Clarence Johnson Date of incident: September 1, 1975 Location of incident: 57 Rutland St., Apt. #3 in Boston Cause/manner of death: Stabbing Florencia Maldonado Date of incident: September 6, 1975 Location of incident: Opposite 57 Pembroke St. in South End Cause/manner of death: Shooting Robert Earl Rogers Date of incident: September 8, 1975 Location of incident: In the parking lot of 150 Monticello Ave. in Boston, behind the boiler room Cause/manner of death: Shooting Joseph V. Wholey Date of incident: September 20, 1975 Location of incident: 35 Anderson St., Apt. #3 in Boston Cause/manner of death: Stabbing Louis P. Viecelli Date of incident: October 12, 1975 Location of incident: Schoolyard of Tileston School on Babson Street in Mattapan Cause/manner of death: Stabbing Louis Delsesto Date of incident: October 20, 1975 Location of incident: Beatrice-Marie Nursing Home at 337 Neponset Ave. in Dorchester Cause/manner of death: Shooting Francis X. Leonard (a.k.a. Leonard, Buddy) Date of incident: November 6, 1975 Location of incident: 25 Pilsudski Way in South Boston Cause/manner of death: Shooting Benigno Aletandre Date of incident: November 9, 1975 Location of incident: Doorway of 2 Dudley St. in Roxbury Cause/manner of death: Shooting James Shields Date of incident: November 18, 1975 Location of incident: 10 Brandon Ave., Apt. 861 in Columbia Point Cause/manner of death: Shooting Thomas M. Strange Date of incident: November 20, 1975 Location of incident: 16 Wendeller St. in South Boston Cause/manner of death: Homicide Walter L. Rainey Date of incident: November 24, 1975 Location of incident: 29 Rich St. in Mattapan Cause/manner of death: Stabbing Charles L. Veno Date of incident: December 3, 1975 Location of incident: Ashmont Creamery at 1865 Dorchester Ave. Cause/manner of death: Shooting More boston Boston councilor proposes higher property taxes on large apartments to help homeowners Ex-City of Boston employee held without bail on felony gun charges New Boston Trader Joe’s store to open for business this week Less sunshine, more shadows? What taller skyscrapers could mean for Boston’s Public Garden Critics say Boston’s inclusionary zoning hurts construction — does it? Public Safety Reporter
