Man, 32, found shot to death on Southeast Side

Columbus police are investigating the city’s 134th homicide after a man’s body was found covered in blood Wednesday morning in a grassy area near a Southeast Side intersection.

The body of Cordray Burgess, 32, was found in the 2500 block of Courtright Road by police and Columbus fire medics called to the scene at 8:35 a.m. Wednesday.

Burgess, who had at least one gunshot wound, was pronounced dead by medics about 8:43 a.m., police said.

Police have not identified a suspect or motive.

Burgess’ death moved the city’s 2017 homicide total closer to the record of 139 set in 1991.

As homicide detectives were conducting a doorto-door canvass of the neighborhood seeking witnesses or information about Burgess’ death, they encountered Rico Lamont Maye, who was wanted by police. Maye, whom police identified in court records as “a documented gang member,” was holding two females against their will inside an apartment, police said.

The police SWAT team was called to the scene. Shortly afterward, police said, Maye released the unidentified females and surrendered to police.

Court records obtained by The Dispatch show Maye, 35, of Dawn Court on the Southeast Side, was wanted for two separate, earlier assaults on his live-in girlfriend.

On May 29, police charged Maye with domestic violence and assault for punching the girlfriend twice on the left side of her face as they drove down a street. The victim bailed out of the vehicle and Maye tried to drag her back, striking her twice with his fist on the right side of her face. Maye took the woman’s purse and fled when she started to scream for help. She flagged down a Bexley police cruiser, which reported the incident to Columbus police.

On Nov. 25, police allege Maye grabbed the same victim by the hair in an apartment and told her she could not leave. The next day, police said, Maye slammed the woman into a bedroom wall, breaking her left collar bone. As she slid down the wall to the floor, Maye kicked and stomped her with his knees and feet. She was treated at Mount Carmel East hospital.

Maye is charged with abduction by restraint or threat of force and felonious assault in connection with those attacks, court records show.

There is no evidence at this time that Maye was associated with Burgess’ homicide, police said in a statement.

Anyone with information about Cordray’s shooting is asked to call the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730.