Two men arrested after unidentified man found fatally stabbed on Columbus' South Side

A Canton man has been arrested and charged with murder after an unidentified man was found stabbed to death Saturday afternoon inside a house on Columbus' South Side, according to court records and police.

In addition to the murder charge, William P. Barker, 19, is also facing a charge of tampering with evidence, police said.

Another suspect, 23-year-old Lance D. Harrison of the South Side, was also arrested and was charged with a single count of tampering with evidence in connection with the homicide, police said.

Both men are scheduled to appear in court on Monday morning, records show.

Harrison's address is listed in court records as that of the house on the 900 block of Ruma Road where Columbus police were dispatched at 1:57 p.m. Saturday to investigate a caller's complaint. The 911 caller had entered the house, located in a residential area west of Lockbourne Road, to find the victim unresponsive, according to a media release from the Columbus Division of Police.

When officers arrived, they found the man suffering from visible injuries, though the media release does not specify the nature of the wounds. However, records filed in Franklin County Municipal Court indicate the man had been stabbed.

Columbus medics pronounced the man dead at the scene.

Barker was identified as a suspect, and when questioned by police admitted to fatally stabbing the man, according to a probable cause affidavit. Police also allege in separate affidavits that both Barker and Harrison admitted to attempting to hide the evidence of the slaying by cleaning the scene and knife before moving the body.

Police have so far not been able to identify the victim.

Anyone with information can call Columbus police at 614-645-4730.

elagatta@dispatch.com

@EricLagatta

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Two arrested after man found fatally stabbed on South Side of Columbus