Columbus police identify two victims, announce two arrests in four unrelated homicides
Columbus police have identified the victims in two recent fatal shootings, and announced arrests in two other unrelated homicides — including a second suspect accused of firing gunshots into an apartment building that killed a woman.
On Monday, police arrested and charged Isaiah Xavier Nashon Alexander, 20, of Columbus, as a second suspect in the April 25 shooting death of 31-year-old Sorenta Hylton.
According to court documents, homicide detectives believe Alexander to be one of four people who got out of a gray vehicle at 3:45 a.m. and fired multiple gunshots into an apartment building on the 1300 block of Vida Court on the city' s Southwest Side before driving away. Hylton was fatally struck while in her bed.
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Alexander was positively identified through a photo line-up as one of the individuals who exited the vehicle and shot at Hylton's apartment building.
Last month, police also arrested 18-year-old Tyreese Watkins, of the South Side, in connection with Hylton’s death.
Police also announced Monday that 34-year-old Warren Tucker, 34, of the East Side, has been indicted on a charge of murder in connection with the death last year of 34-year-old Clyde Woods at a Far East Side strip club.
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On June 12, 2021, officers responded at approximately 2:25 a.m. to the Confidential Gentlemen's Club at 1962 Lake Club Dr. on a report of a stabbing, according to police. Officers located Woods, who was unresponsive and suffering from a stab wound.
Woods was transported to the hospital in critical condition, where he was later pronounced deceased at 6:15 a.m., police said.
Victims of two recent homicides identified
The victims of two recent homicides have been identified by Columbus homicide detectives.
Phillip Moore, 33, has been identified as the man responding patrol officers found shot Saturday at 9:05 p.m. on the 200 block of South Ashburton Road on the East Side.
Moore was transported to a hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced deceased at 9:37 p.m., police said.
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A domestic dispute led to the shooting, homicide detectives say, and a preliminary investigation indicates the person who shot Moore appears to have done so in self-defense. The case is expected to be presented to a Franklin County grand jury.
Police have also identified 64-year-old William Caslin as the victim in a fatal shooting last Thursday morning in North Linden.
Officers responding at 5:53 a.m. on a report of a shooting in the 1800 block of Oakland Park Avenue found Caslin with a gunshot wound sitting inside of a vehicle in a parking lot. Columbus Division of Fire medics pronounced Caslin dead at 6:19 a.m.
Detectives say a preliminary investigation indicates two unidentified male suspects who may have been involved had fled the scene. The shooting is still under investigation and a suspect has not been identified, detectives say.
Police have also issued an arrest warrant in connection with the shooting of a barber while he was working at a barbershop on the North Side on April 26.
Jermaine King, 40, of the Northeast Side, is being sought in connection to the death of 51-year-old Lawrence Jefferson, of Reynoldsburg.
Jefferson was working inside Executive Barber Salon, located down a small flight of stairs from a food market in a multi-space commercial building at 5880 N. Meadows Blvd. when a man walked into the shop shortly after noon, police said.
Jefferson was shot and killed while another barber and customer were inside. Neither of them were hurt.
King has been charged with murder, according to court records.
Anyone with information about this shooting or any Columbus homicide is asked to call the city police Homicide Unit at (614) 645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477).
Cole Behrens is a reporter at The Columbus Dispatch covering public safety and breaking news. You can reach him at CBehrens@dispatch.com or find him on Twitter at @Colebehr_report
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Homicides in Columbus: 2 victims, 2 suspects named in unrelated cases
