Couple Indicted For Beating Death Of Toddler

Posted on 3/29/2010

Defendant: John Jerome Reeves And Nikki Dnikole Reeves

Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced that the Franklin County Grand Jury has returned two indictments, one on John Jerome Reeves and the other on Nikki Dnikole Reeves in connection to the March 18, 2010 death of 4 year old Lawrence Martin King, III.

John Reeves, 29 year old step-father to the child, has been indicted for one count of Aggravated Murder (F-1), one count of Murder (F-1), one count of Felonious Assault (F-2), and two counts of Endangering Children (F-2), for a total of five counts.  Nikki Reeves, 23 year old biological mother, has been indicted for one count of Murder (F-1), one count of Felonious Assault (F-1), two counts of Endangering Children (F-2), and one count of Permitting Child Abuse (F-1), for a total of five counts.

Emergency personnel received a 911 call shortly after midnight on March 18th to the residence at 6443 Mount Badon Road in Canal Winchester.  When they arrived, the 4 year old was unresponsive.  Medics transported the boy to Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:54 am.  It is alleged that the child was repeatedly beaten by John Reeves over a period of several days as a method of discipline, and that this was permitted by the boy’s mother.  John Reeves faces a maximum sentence of  life without parole and Nikki Reeves faces up to a life sentence.

Arraignment for the Reeves will be at 1:30 pm on March 31, 2010 in courtroom 1A.