Ray Cornelius, an 82-year-old man who was fatally shot inside his home in the Allegany County Town of Ward, has not gone silent. NY state police along with the investigative team with WGRZ, Channel 2 in Buffalo, are digging in to this case. Wellsville Regional News broke this story and has never really let up. Now, though, Channel 2 in Buffalo has taken an interest in what is called a 'cold case' from 2017. During my reporting, lead state police investigator Jed Murphy took issue with the phrase 'cold case'. In a 2017 interview, Investigator Murphy said this is a “challenging case…one that has kept him up at night.” Murphy said this afternoon (at the time) that this case has “taken time,” and a case that the six BCI officers are “definitely working.” To the family, Murphy said that they can “call me anytime."
During the years, there were claims of new leads...but nothing appears to have developed.
In a 2018 interview with Murphy, WRN learned that new search warrants were issued. In that interview, State police did confirm to WRN that Cornelius died from a single shot gun wound to the torsos. Murphy said that “if anyone heard a gunshot last July…or knows of a missing gun…” to contact police.
The WRN interviews continued is 2020, however Investigators said leads faded, other serious cases came in...and the family has been left wondering. Every month, a family member calls Amity-based Investigators.
Thanks to WGRZ Buffalo Dave McKinley for nosing around to develop new leads. He too, has been conducting interviews that may air on July 3rd. WRN has been told that new rewards are being offered.
State Police statement from major crimes:
On Monday July 3, 2017 at approximately 11:20 am a family member contacted the Allegany County 911 Center and advised that he had located 82 yo Raymond C. Cornelius deceased at his home located at 4849 Wadsworth Hill Rd in the Town of Ward, Allegany County. The family member advised that he had gone to check on Ray as no one in the family had been able to reach him via telephone since approximately 6:30 pm on Saturday July 1, 2017. Troopers arrived on scene and noted a broken window confirming Cornelius had been shot in the back from outside of the residence. Cornelius had no known enemy’s and the murder has haunted the family for the last seven years.
Eric M. Tavernier
Investigator – Troop “A” BCI
Major Crimes
