Cleveland murder suspect found, arrested in Lawrence, after being mistakenly released from jail

LAWRENCE — Lawrence police say they have arrested who had been jailed in Cuyahoga County, Ohio on suspicion of murder and mistakenly released.

Cornell Gray, 22, was taken into police custody after officers responded about 10:30 p.m. Sunday and found him in the area of East 42nd Street and North Franklin Road, said Lawrence Police Chief Gary Woodruff.

Officers were dispatched after receiving a report of a wanted person in an apartment there. Gray was taken into custody and transported to the Marion County Adult Detention Center.

Gray did not have any local charges, Woodruff said.

WEWS-TV, a sister station of WRTV, reports that Gray was mistakenly released from Cuyahoga County Jail due to an apparent mixup.

Gray had been charged with murder in connection with the April 17, 2021 killing of a 28-year-old man found with multiple gunshot wounds outside a home on Anita Kennedy Road in Cleveland.

A warrant for Gray's arrest was issued in September 2021 and he was captured in Texas by the U.S. Marshal's Gulf Coast Task Force in February, WEWS-TV reported.

Cuyahoga County Sheriff Christopher Viland released this statement when asked for details on how Gray was released: "We are working with our law enforcement partners to ensure the community's safety. We understand the seriousness of what is being reported and are investigating all of the facts and circumstances. We will ensure our processes are correct and our employees accountable."

WEWS-TV reported this is at least the 10th time someone was mistakenly released from the jail in just the last three years.

Gray was extradited back to Ohio and booked into Cuyahoga County Jail about 7:27 p.m. Thursday.