In 2014, the body of 22-year-old Cory Barron was discovered in a dumpster at the Lorain County landfill in Cleveland, Ohio, four days after he'd been last seen attending a Jason Aldean concert at the city's Progressive Field. At the time, local authorities pursued the theory that Barron fell into a trash chute at the venue, which led to the dumpster.
Two months after Barron's death, the coroner's office reported that there was no evidence to suggest the tragedy was anything other than an accident — but Barron's family was left with unanswered questions about the loss of their loved one, and the mystery remained of how the young Aldean fan had wound up in the garbage chute in the first place. The family hired a private investigator, launched a billboard campaign and hotline and offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an indictment in the case.
Now, more than eight years later, investigators believe that Barron's death was the result of a homicide. The new ruling comes as law enforcement uncovers new information surrounding the night of his death, according to local station WKYC Channel 3.
"Since the death of Cory Bannon in 2014, additional investigation has been conducted by private investigators and the Cleveland Division of Police. The Lorain County Coroner has been provided with information by the Cleveland Police that Cory Bannon was involved in an altercation at Progressive Field prior to his disappearance and death," a statement from the Coroner's Office reports.
"In light of the additional information, his death was due to the actions or failure to act of another person or persons," the statement continues. "The manner of death for Cory Bannon has been changed from undetermined to homicide."
According to the new report, the specifics of how Bannon died — "sequelae of multiple blunt impacts to the head, trunk and extremities due to descent down a trash chute into an enclosed dumpster" — is unchanged from the previous ruling. The only difference is that the manner of his death is now listed as homicide.
After news initially came out of Bannon's death in 2014, Jason Aldean extended his sympathies to his loved ones over social media. "My sincere condolences go out to Cory Bannon's family and friends," he wrote. "My heart is heavy for you all and you are in my thoughts and prayers."
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May they rest in peace ...
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