Columbus, Ohio — 2014–2020
Some families experience tragedy once.
The VanCleaf family endured it three times.
The family of Marcus and Javon VanCleaf, along with their nephew Erick Peeples, contacted The Vivid Faces of the Vanished because their story is not about a single act of violence. It is about years of grief, unanswered questions, and the unimaginable pain of losing three loved ones to gun violence.
They are still waiting for answers.
They are still waiting for justice.
Marcus B. VanCleaf
Marcus B. VanCleaf was 32 years old when he was murdered on June 21, 2014.
At approximately 4:32 a.m., officers responded to the area outside an after-hours club at 1323 East Fulton Street on Columbus’ Near East Side.
Marcus was found on the sidewalk suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
He died from his injuries.
Marcus was more than another homicide victim.
He was the father of four children.
He was a son.
He was a brother.
More than a decade later, no one has been held accountable for his murder.
Javon D. VanCleaf
Less than a year later, the same family received another devastating phone call.
On March 18, 2015, at approximately 10:54 p.m., Marcus’ younger brother, Javon D. VanCleaf, was found shot while sitting behind the wheel of his vehicle at 2338 West Broad Street in Columbus’ Hilltop neighborhood.
He was only 21 years old.
Like his older brother, Javon’s life ended in gunfire.
Like his older brother, his murder remains unsolved.
Two brothers.
Two separate shootings.
Less than one year apart.
Another Heartbreaking Loss
The family’s pain did not end there.
In 2020, their nephew, Erick Peeples, also lost his life to gun violence.
Three members of the same family.
Three separate shootings.
Three lives stolen.
Each loss compounded the heartbreak left by the one before it, creating years of grief that no family should ever have to endure.
Still Waiting for Justice
As of 2026, the murders of Marcus B. VanCleaf and Javon D. VanCleaf remain listed as cold cases by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Years have passed, but the pain has not faded.
It remains in the empty chairs at family gatherings.
The birthdays that can no longer be celebrated.
The milestones they never had the chance to reach.
Their family is not asking for sympathy.
They are asking for truth.
For accountability.
For someone who knows what happened to finally come forward.
Three men from one family are gone.
The people who loved them are still waiting for answers.
Anyone with information regarding the murders of Marcus B. VanCleaf or Javon D. VanCleaf is urged to contact the Columbus Division of Police or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477. Tips may also be submitted online through stopcrime.org or the P3 Tips app.
© The Vivid Faces of the Vanished