Following an Oct. 21 homicide, the Ithaca Police Department is seeking a person who was walking a dog near Corn Street and West Green Street at around 10:30 p.m that night, according to a Monday press release. The press release also called for anyone near Corn Street between West Seneca Street and West Clinton Street to contact the IPD Investigative Division.
Officers located the victim, who was deceased from a gunshot wound near 500 W. State St., after responding to a shots fired call on Oct. 21. The victim was identified as Ithaca resident John Ray Lawton, 45.
The IPD Investigative Division did not respond for comment by the time of publication.
After locating the victim, officers closed West State Street to vehicle and pedestrian traffic for immediate investigation Oct. 21, but the road was reopened by 8 a.m. the following morning.
The Oct. 21 homicide is the first in Ithaca since a man was fatally stabbed at the Auden Ithaca apartment complex in July 2019.
The IPD is asking anyone with information to contact the IPD:
Police Dispatch: (607) 272-3245
Police Administration: (607) 272-9973
Investigations Division: (607) 272-9973 option 4
Police Tipline (607) 330-0000
Email: [email protected]
Anonymous Email Tip Address: www.cityofithaca.org/ipdtips