After nearly a year of uncertainty and desperate searches, the family of Calvin “Bub” Jones finally has answers—though they come with heartbreak.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed this week that Jones, a 44-year-old father of three from Brooklyn Heights, was found deceased in a ravine near East 91st Street and Cannon Avenue in Cleveland. The area is steep, secluded, and sits near train tracks, making the discovery particularly difficult until now.
According to a Brooklyn Heights police report, Jones was last seen the night of August 21, 2024. He had delivered a pizza to his brother at 10 p.m., was spotted later at the Georgio’s Oven Fresh Pizza parking lot on Harvard Avenue, and spoke briefly with his teenage son about putting his younger brother to bed. After that call, he vanished.
Jones’s disappearance launched a months-long search led by family and supported by community members and volunteer organizations. His mother, Donna Ayers, and sister, Crystal Jones, organized searches in Cleveland neighborhoods where he was known to visit. They also enlisted the help of Chaos Divers, an Illinois-based volunteer search and recovery team specializing in locating missing people with vehicles in waterways. The team scoured areas like the Rocky River but came up empty during multiple visits.
For 344 days, the family held onto hope. Ayers had previously said she would not rest until she knew what happened to her son.
On Tuesday, Cleveland authorities discovered a body in the ravine, and dental records later confirmed it was Jones. His car has not yet been located, and the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner has not released a cause of death.
Family members are still processing the painful confirmation. Crystal Jones said law enforcement notified them of the discovery and that the family has been told an open-casket funeral will not be possible. They are now planning both a vigil and a celebration of life to honor the father, who had been looking forward to his daughter’s 18th birthday and college plans before his disappearance.
“We’re surrounded by love, but it doesn’t make this any easier,” Crystal said.
Donna Ayers has vowed to continue seeking justice. “I’m going to find out what happened to my kid,” she said, reaffirming the promise she made months earlier.
Cleveland police are continuing their investigation. Anyone with information regarding Jones’s disappearance or the circumstances of his death is urged to contact the Cleveland Division of Police.