Murdered on New Year’s Day: Six Years Without Justice for Larry “Poochie” Love

By Yasmin Chaudhary - The Inkwell Times

Dayton, Ohio — January 1, 2019

Six years have passed since Larry “Poochie” Love was shot and killed in the early hours of New Year’s Day, yet the questions surrounding his death remain unanswered—and his family is still waiting for justice.

Larry Love was 36 years old. He was a father, a son, and a man stepping into 2019 with hope and responsibility. At the center of his world were his twin baby daughters, just six months old at the time of his death. He spoke often about being present for them—raising them, protecting them, and watching them grow. That future was stolen before the year had even begun.

The Morning Larry Was Killed

At approximately 5:00 a.m. on January 1, 2019, Dayton police were dispatched to the 2200 block of Hepburn Avenue following multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire. When officers arrived, they found Larry lying in the street, unresponsive, suffering from gunshot wounds.

Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene.

According to police dispatch records, one caller reported hearing gunshots and stated that a man was down in the roadway. Another caller told dispatchers they had seen a group of approximately ten people involved in a fight in the area shortly before the shooting occurred. By the time officers arrived, those individuals were gone.

No suspect was taken into custody that morning.

An Investigation That Went Quiet

In the days following Larry’s death, Dayton police confirmed the case was being investigated as a homicide. However, despite witness reports of a large altercation and the presence of multiple people in the area, no arrests have been made.

As of 2025, Larry Love’s murder remains an open and unsolved case.

For families of homicide victims, the absence of answers compounds the trauma. Each passing year brings new milestones—birthdays, holidays, first days of school—that are felt in sharper contrast against the absence of accountability.

Larry’s twin daughters are now school-aged children growing up without their father. They will know him only through stories, photographs, and the memories shared by those who loved him.

A Family Still Seeking Answers

Larry’s family reached out to The Vivid Faces of the Vanished in hopes of renewing public attention on his case. Like many families navigating unsolved murders, they believe someone knows what happened that morning—and that silence has protected the person responsible for far too long.

Unsolved cases do not mean forgotten cases. They mean stalled investigations, unanswered questions, and families left in permanent limbo.

National data shows that homicide clearance rates—particularly in cases involving Black victims—remain significantly lower than for other violent crimes. Advocates argue that sustained media attention and community engagement are often critical in generating new leads, even years later.