June 2021 | Issue #6
Ten years later, one man’s murder
continues to haunt Memphis family
The murder of Dennis Gilliam had the hallmarks of an execution.

The 33-year-old handyman was shot in his bed. He was killed by a bullet that
entered his forehead and exited the back of his head.

That was a decade ago, September 23, 2011.

The killing happened one night after a fight led to a wild west-style shooting
outside his house in a north Memphis neighborhood. Gilliam told family members he blamed the problem on young toughs but that “they won’t run me from my house.”

Police later said two weapons were involved in that gunfire. And, although
family members believed they knew who was the killer the next day, not enough evidence has yet been uncovered to bring charges and a trial, according to Memphis Police detectives and the Shelby County District Attorney’s office.
Police did charge a man for aggravated assault from the altercation the night
before. He later was found guilty and received three years of probation.

The family says it wants justice and has offered an award — cash and a
vintage car. The D.A.’s office will reopen this cold case if any new evidence comes forward.

Undoubtedly multiple people know something about this homicide that could
be helpful if the information is left at 528-CASH (2274). All calls are anonymous and an award of $2,000 is available from CrimeStoppers if information leads to an arrest.
One Pennsylvania cold case murder took 42
years but was solved by relentless detectives
While solving cold cases can seem daunting it does happen, even many years
after a crime.

A case in point is a Pennsylvania homicide. Alfred Barnes, a Bethlehem Steel
employee was found shot, his body dumped in a field October 18, 1968. More than 40 years later, and the case still unsolved, the victim’s nephew contacted police and asked them to try again.

Investigators found the case file, went through details, interviewed still-living
witnesses and did solve that case when they got a confession from a man living in Texas. It was one of the oldest cold cases in Pennsylvania to be solved.

Nationally the number of unsolved violent crimes increases year over year,
according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. But evidence shows it pays off when investigators are assigned to focus on old cases.

Bringing old cases to a solution requires meticulous attention to detail. But many times what is needed is a decision by witnesses or other people with knowledge of a felony crime to just do the right thing.


Review some featured local cold cases here.
Make a donation here and help CrimeStoppers help the MPD's Cold Case Unit.