Columbus police release additional footage of 3 suspects connected with death of Alexa Stakely
Hours before a public vigil honoring the memory of a central Ohio mother and speech pathologist who died after trying to stop the theft of her vehicle with her son inside, Columbus police on Wednesday released additional surveillance video of three suspects wanted in connection with her death.
The video shows two of the three suspects chasing on foot after 29-year-old Alexa Stakely's stolen Honda that a third suspect is driving. Those two suspects then meet up with the driver within the parking lot of the apartment complex and abandon the Honda. All three suspects continue walking northbound on Brynwood Green Drive, the last place where they were seen, police say.
Related | Video: Suspects believed to be involved the carjacking and death of Alexa Stakely
Columbus police noted that the trio continued walking after abandoning Stakely's Honda, which police say indicates that the three of them are comfortable in that area and either live in the neighborhood or have friends in the vicinity.
Homicide detectives are asking tenants of The Residences at James Place and The Residences at Akita Lane to check their surveillance footage for any video from the early morning hours of July 11.
Central Ohio single mom dies after trying to stop vehicle theft
Alexa Stakely, 29, died early Thursday morning after she was struck by her own SUV. Stakely was picking up her 6-year-old son from her babysitter's residence on the 6300 block of Blue Knoll Drive at the White Oak Park Condominiums at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday following her second job as a waitress.
Stakely was retrieving her son's belongings in the babysitter's doorway after placing her sleeping son in her SUV when she saw the vehicle pulling out of the driveway.
Police say Stakely suffered a fatal head injury when she fell to the ground after her vehicle struck her, and witnesses told police they saw two male suspects fleeing on foot. Her son was unhurt; body cam footage showed he told an officer he slept through the vehicle's theft.
Memorial planned Wednesday evening for Stakely at same school where she worked
Continuing an outpouring of support, community and family members will be holding a public vigil for Stakely on Wednesday evening at Winchester Trails Elementary School — the same school where Stakely worked as a speech language pathologist.
The vigil will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the auditorium of Winchester Trail Elementary at 6865 Gender Rd in Canal Winchester.
Visitation for family, close friends and colleagues will be held from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Grace Fellowship Church in Lithopolis, 11573 Lithopolis Rd NW, and her service and burial will be held there at a later date, according to her obituary. Dwayne R. Spence Funeral Home in Canal Winchester is handling arrangements.
On Monday, Loose Rail Brewing at 37 W. Waterloo St. in Canal Winchester hosted a charity drive to benefit her son. The event featured a banner for students and friends of the school district to sign, memorial journals to be filled with words of encouragement for Stakely's family, face painting, yard games, s'mores kits and baked goods. All of the funds raised will go to a trust for the boy, the brewery said.
An online fundraiser for Stakely's son raised over $80,000 as of Wednesday afternoon, surpassing its initial goal of $15,000. Over 1,500 people donated.
Anyone with video or photo evidence that could assist with the investigation can submit it to Columbus police online, and anyone with information about Stakely's killing can reach the lead detective, Detective Lemmon, at 614-645-2558 or RALemmon@ColumbusPolice.org or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477. All calls to Crime Stoppers are anonymous.
@ShahidMeighan
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus police release more video of suspects involved in Stakely death
