Keimani Latigue's father is arrested for her murder. Police say the case is 'horrific'.

USA Today

28-03-2025

A man suspected of abducting and killing his teen daughter in Toledo, Ohio was shot and injured Tuesday by a police officer about 140 miles away in Columbus, authorities said.
Darnell Jones, 33, was wanted in Toledo on kidnapping and murder charges after investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Keimani Latigue in an abandoned building. Latigue was found dead Monday just shy of a week after her March 18 disappearance sent shockwaves through the northern Ohio city located on the western tip of Lake Erie.
Toledo police named Jones, the girl's father, as a suspect due to "inconsistent statements" he provided to investigators and because he was the last known person to be seen with Latigue, according to local outlets, which cited a probable cause affidavit.
Jones, who also uses the last name Ogletree, was then injured Tuesday when he exchanged gunfire with a Columbus SWAT officer just northwest of the city's downtown area, the Columbus Dispatch, a USA TODAY Network publication, reported.
Keimani Latigue's father shot, arrested in Columbus
Columbus police had been surveilling Jones for at least two days before the shooting, which occurred at about 10 a.m. Tuesday in a neighborhood known as Victorian Village, according to Columbus police and court documents.
When SWAT officers confronted Jones on the street, he pulled out a gun and shot at them, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained Wednesday by USA TODAY. The officers returned fire, hitting Jones multiple times, the affidavit states.
Jones was then transported to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center for medical attention. As of Tuesday, Jones was in stable condition and was expected to survive, Columbus police Sgt. James Fuqua, a spokesman for the division, told the Dispatch.
No officers were hurt in the encounter, Fuqua added.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, an agency under the state's Attorney General's office, will investigate the incident, as is policy for any shooting involving police.
Victorian Village residents react to police shooting
As its name suggests, Victorian Village is famed for its historic Victorian-style homes and architecture. The tree-lined neighborhood is also known as a comparatively quiet residential area nestled near the otherwise bustling Ohio State University and the popular Short North Arts District.
For that reason, residents who spoke to the Dispatch expressed surprise and confusion when gunshots went off during the daytime.
'I really like this neighborhood,' Gwen Berlekamp, who lives nearby, told the Dispatch. 'I mean, I know stuff's happening everywhere.'
Fuqua also issued assurances to residents after Jones was in custody.
'Given that this is an unusual area that does not see a lot of crime, we just want to reassure the public that this is a safe, contained situation and there is no longer a threat to the public,' Fuqua said.
Darnell Jones set to appear in court
Jones is due to appear at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus, an online court docket shows.
In addition to the charges he faces in Toledo, Jones has now also been charged by Columbus police with felonious assault.
Toledo police had been searching for Jones since naming him Sunday as the suspect in the disappearance – and now murder – of his daughter.
Latigue was found dead early Monday when Toledo Police Department investigators searched inside a burned-out house on Miami Street, local outlets reported, including The Blade.
The Lucas County Coroner's Office has not provided information about how the girl died, but confirmed to both WTVG and WTOL that an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.
A news release from the Toledo Police Department only said Latigue was "found suffering from apparent fatal injuries."
Toledo police provided an updated news release Wednesday to USA TODAY in which Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said the city is working with Columbus police "to find justice for Keimani."
The grim discovery of Latique's body came after family members spent days organizing search parties, canvassing the community and handing out flyers for any word of her whereabouts, WTVG reported.
"This case is one of the most horrific cases I've ever heard," Brian Steel, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge #9, told reporters gathered at the scene of Tuesday's shooting in Columbus. "This is an absolute animal that came into our town."
This article has been updated to add new information.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [e-mail]