‘Kevin deserves justice’: Dayton police continue to seek tips in Officer Brame’s murder 25 years later

$15,000 from Miami Valley Crime Stoppers increases reward to $130,000

Twenty-five years ago, Dayton police Officer Kevin Brame picked up his sons and celebrated his father’s birthday with family. Just before 8:30 p.m. he left his mother’s house to drop his boys off with their mother.

By 9 p.m. he had been shot and killed.

“Twenty-five years is a very long, agonizing time to wait for the arrest of the people who planned and carried out the assassination of my son,” said Brame’s mother, Rosemary Brame.

Though 25 years is a long time to wait, Brame’s family and the Dayton Police Department still have hope someone will come forward with information that will help solve his murder.

On Thursday Maj. Brian Johns announced Miami Valley Crime Stoppers is offering $15,000 to anyone with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those involved in Brame’s death. The sum is in addition to a $100,00 reward issued shortly after the homicide and a $15,000 reward from the FBI, bringing the total reward to $130,000.

“We’ll never forget Kevin and his service to the city of Dayton, and our hope by this reward is to bring more information about this case and to solve this case for Kevin and his family,” Johns said.

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All tips submitted to Miami Valley Crime Stoppers are anonymous. People can call 937-222-STOP (7867) or visit www.miamivalleycrimestoppers.com/ to share tips.

“It’s very important as a member of the community, as an organization, that we play our part and advocate for this reward and advocate for this case to be resolved,” Cedric Howard, vice president of the Miami Valley Crime Stoppers, said.

On Nov. 1, 1999, Brame was shot and killed in front of 624 Cherry Drive in Dayton.

“They hid from him in the bushes, waited for him to come out and shot him from behind,” Johns said.

He called Brame’s murder cowardly and deceitful.

“It was not a random act by any means,” Rosemary said. “There were people who planned and discussed with other people the time and the place where my son would lose his life.”

Brame’s family is asking anyone who heard any type of threat made against the officer to speak to investigators.

“Some people may think information may be small but in the totality of everything that we know it could be very, very big,” Johns said.

Rosemary described her son as a responsible man who was proud to follow in his father’s steps as a Dayton police officer.

Johns called him a great officer and father and said he’ll never forget Brame’s mischievous smile.

The major added Brames’ homicide is not a cold case. The department has two investigators assigned to it and is receiving help from the FBI.

“He served this city, he’s severed this country and he’s a lifelong Dayton resident, so we owe it to him and his family to bring closure to this case,” Johns said.

Kevin Brame cradles his newborn son, Dominique, in 1994.

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