Police: Suspect in Double D's double fatal shooting arrested in Florida

Bethany Bruner, Columbus Dispatch
·1 min read
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The U.S. Marshals on Monday arrested a suspect accused of fatally shooting his sister and another woman during a fight outside a Merion Village bar earlier this month.

Joseph Howard, 19, was arrested in Largo, Florida, the Marshals Service said in a statement.

Howard is facing a charge of murder in connection with the Sept. 13 shooting.

According to Franklin County Municipal Court records, around 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 13, Howard, who lives on the Far South Side, was outside Double D's Pub at 1501 S. High St. in Merion Village when a fight broke out between Tavia Copley and Taya Mollette, both of whom were 24.

Howard, who is Mollette's brother, began shooting a handgun. The shots, according to court records, struck Copley, Mollette and a third person. Court records said Howard then shot Copley while she was lying on the ground. She died at the scene.

Mollette and the third person were taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center but Mollette was not able to survive her injuries.

Howard was charged with murder the next day but was unable to be located by police.

The U.S. Marshals Service obtained information Howard had fled to Florida and was arrested Monday without further incident. He is currently being held in the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office jail and will be extradited back to Ohio at a later date.

bbruner@dispatch.com

@bethany_bruner

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Police: Suspect in Double D's double fatal shooting arrested in Florida