COLUMBUS — Ohio’s capital city has set a grim record with its 140th homicide this year, passing the previous high of 139 Columbus slayings in 1991.
Police say the latest victims are a 57-year-old woman found with signs of trauma in a northeast Columbus home on Monday and a 37-year-old man who was shot through a door to his apartment in a case reported early Tuesday.
HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION: 12/25@4:46pm, CPD received a call & requested to respond@1275 Sigsbee Ave where 57yo Rose Douthitt (F/B). Several signs of trauma to the victims body were present. The case is being investigated as a homicide. Info-CPD:645-4730 or gbray@columbuspolice.org pic.twitter.com/xg7Q9wx36A
— Columbus Division of Police (@ColumbusPolice) December 26, 2017
Rose Douthitt was found inside a home in the 1200 block of Sigsbee Ave. at 4:46 p.m. on Christmas Day and an autopsy confirmed that injuries she suffered were consistent with a homicide, Homicide Unit Sgt. Stanley Latta said.
There were no known motives or suspects.
Speaking to reporters, Sgt. Dave Sicilian of the Homicide Unit urged residents to come forward if they see circumstances that might lead to such violence.
“We need the eyes and ears. We need the people that are out there every day. You know the community,” he said.
He says reporting lower-level crimes such as thefts, property damage and illegal use of weapons gives police a chance to intervene before it escalates into deadly violence.
The city may have also seen the 141st homicide of the year.
Sicilian says an autopsy will be performed to determine if a woman whose body was found in a Franklinton alley Tuesday was murdered.
The woman, described as being in her late 20’s, was found suffering from head injuries in an alley behind 160 N. Guilford Street and was pronounced dead at the scene, Sicilian said