Cody Pitts

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Hubbard City Police Department (OH)

Offense Location:

Hubbard, Ohio

Reward:

up to $25,000 via Crime Stoppers of Youngstown and Cody Pitts' family

Not from STC, Conditions and restrictions apply

Summary:

Cody A. Pitts, a 26-year-old Hubbard, Ohio native and 2007 Hubbard High School graduate, was shot in the head on March 7, 2015, while walking home from the Downtown Coffee Cafe. His body was found on Orchard Avenue near North Main Street around 3:30 a.m. The case remains unsolved, with police identifying a suspect early on but lacking sufficient evidence for charges.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Offense:

On the early morning hours of March 7, 2015, Cody Pitts spent several hours at the Downtown Coffee Cafe (later known as Grille 29) on North Main Street in Hubbard, Ohio socializing with friends. He was reportedly the last patron to leave the establishment around 2:35 a.m., wearing a gray hoodie and brown stocking cap as he walked through the parking lot. Pitts left the cafe alone and began walking west down Orchard Avenue toward a friend's house. Less than an hour later, around 3:30 a.m., a female motorist nearly struck his body lying on Orchard Avenue near North Main Street and called 911 to report it. Hubbard Police officers dispatched to the scene discovered Pitts deceased. An autopsy was performed, revealing that he had suffered a single gunshot wound to the head and neck. The Trumbull County Coroner ruled the death a homicide.

Additional Details:

Hubbard Police Chief Robert Thompson and Detective Sergeant Michael Banic have stated that investigators identified a suspect from day one of the investigation and have questioned hundreds of people and pursued numerous leads over the years. However, despite extensive investigative work and substantial testimonial evidence, no arrests have been made. As of March 2024, police continue to actively investigate the case on a weekly basis. Detectives have been specifically seeking information about a Walther P-22 pistol with serial number L404221, believed to be the weapon used in the shooting. Police hope the gun may still be in the area or may have been sold at the Niles gun show. Pitts graduated from Hubbard High School in 2007, played football for the Eagles, and worked as a laborer for Laborers Union Local 125 in Youngstown. He was known as an avid golfer and passionate sports fan, particularly of the Michigan State Spartans. The victim's family suffered additional tragedy when, a month after Cody's murder, his mother Vada Pitts was diagnosed with cancer. She passed away in November 2015, eight months after her son's death, with family members noting that she died of a broken heart. Friends and family have maintained Cody's memory through annual memorial golf tournaments (the Big Pitty Classic and Cody Pitts Memorial Golf Outing) and scholarship programs benefiting Hubbard High School graduates. The community continues to display 'Justice for Cody' signs throughout Hubbard. A Cody A. Pitts Foundation was created by his friends to raise awareness and funds for the community. NBC's Dateline covered the case in a feature about family and community efforts to seek justice.

Case Last Updated:

Sep 29, 2026