‘Crime Stoppers’ Shoots Episode in Lakewood

A brutal murder was filmed on Morrison Avenue this week.

But it was only a re-enactment.

Los Angeles-based “Crime Stoppers” TV show shot an episode at the home of Donn Nottage at 2159 Morrison Avenue on Tuesday night.

The eight-time Emmy Award winning show — which airs in several regional markets — will run on KCAL (a Los Angeles CBS affiliate) next Saturday.

Shawn Rech, executive producer of Crime Stoppers: Case Files — and the owner of Cleveland-based Pinpoint Media — said that the episode is about the murder of Ivan Anders, a 26-year-old student killed in Los Angeles on June 9, 2011.

“He was stabbed and killed at birthday party in Monterey Park, California,” said Rech. “The youngest of four brothers, he studying to be a priest. He was at the party and someone attacked a woman and he stuck up for her." 

The murderers were never caught.

That’s where Crime Stoppers comes in. The show has already led to the capture of four murders in Northeast Ohio, and several others around the country.

Rech said that Morrison Avenue has a similar look to the street where the murder took place. And Nottage — who starred in the episode — has worked with the producers before.

“They needed a yard, so we shot the party scene and the stabbing scene here,” said Nottage.

Rech said that the shoot on Morrison Avenue won’t be the last in Northeast Ohio.

“We’re always looking for new people who are looking to get involved and help out,” he said. “There’s an open invitation for law enforcement agencies in the Cleveland area for violent unsolved murders to be on the program.”