Gerald Dowling Indicted on Three Charges Related to the Death of Alexa Stakely in July

Posted on 8/5/2024

Defendant: Gerald Dowling

The Franklin County Grand Jury returned a three-count indictment today charging Gerald Dowling, 19, of Columbus, with involuntary manslaughter for the death of Alexa Stakely, 29, of Columbus, as well as with grand theft of a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property.

On July 11, 2024, at approximately 1:27 a.m., Dowling and two juveniles were in the area of Blue Knoll Drive on the southeast side of Columbus when they observed Stakely’s vehicle running with the lights on. When one of the juveniles entered the car and began to drive away, Stakely attempted to stop the theft of her car by running in front of it and yelling that her 6-year-old child was asleep in the back seat. The juvenile struck Stakely with the car and drove approximately one block north, where he abandoned the vehicle and met up with Dowling and the other juvenile.

Stakely suffered blunt force trauma to her head and died later that day.

Dowling will be arraigned at a later date.