Press Releases

Dec 04 2023

Defendant: John Allen

Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secures guilty verdicts in three separate rape cases
On Nov. 30, the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secured guilty verdicts against John Allen of Columbus, 47, for the rapes of three separate victims. Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Thomas Vaccaro and Chynna Kelley prosecuted the case for the prosecutor’s offic...
Nov 27 2023

Defendant: Mason Thompson-Bray & Skylor VanHouten

Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secures multiple guilty verdicts in 2022 double murder case
On Nov. 21, the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secured a total of 17 guilty verdicts against Mason Thompson-Bray of Grove City, 23, and Skylor VanHouten of Springfield, 22, for the 2022 murders of Francisco Rodriguez and Trintan Mendoza. Assistant Prosecutin...
Nov 21 2023

Defendant: Johnnie Wappner

Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office secures guilty verdict in 2022 murder case
On Nov. 17, the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office secured three guilty verdicts against Johnnie Wappner, 33, for the 2022 murder of Marcus Deloney, 32. A jury found Wappner, of Columbus, guilty of murder, reckless homicide and felonious assault, all with three-year firearm s...
Nov 20 2023

Defendant: Othman Abdu

Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secures life sentence in 2021 murder case
Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Sheryl Munson today sentenced Othman Abdu, 20, to life in prison for the 2021 murder of 21-year-old Nazeer Winton and the shooting of another person who survived. Abdu will be eligible for parole after 39 years. A Franklin County ...
Nov 08 2023

Defendant: Christopher Freeman, Donyea Spruell, Sha’Briana Jenkins

Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secures guilty pleas in 2021 mistaken identity shooting
The Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secured guilty pleas from three defendants involved in the shooting of a woman at an east side parking lot. Christopher Freeman, 30, of Columbus, Donyea Spruell, 21, of Columbus, and Sha’Briana Jenkins, 26, of Reynoldsburg, all...
Nov 03 2023

Defendant: Columbus Division of Police’s SWAT unit

Franklin County Grand Jury Votes Not to Indict SWAT Unit Members Involved in Fatal Shooting in February 2023
A Franklin County Grand Jury on Thursday voted not to indict members of the Columbus Division of Police’s SWAT unit involved in the shooting death of Bret Andrews, 46, of Athens County. On Feb. 11, 2023, members of the SWAT unit arrived in the parking lot of the Home Depot ...
Nov 03 2023

Defendant: Demetris Ortega

Former Columbus Police Detective Sentenced for Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Crash Involving a Pedestrian
The Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced that former Columbus Division of Police Detective Demetris Ortega, 51, was sentenced to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections for 18 months. Ortega pleaded guilty in September to a felony charge of fa...
Oct 27 2023

Defendant: Rebecca Auborn

Arraignment of Rebecca Auborn will be Monday
The Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced the arraignment of Rebecca Auborn, which was set for today, has now been continued to Monday. Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Karen Held Phipps will preside at 9.a.m. Monday in Courtroom 7F.
Oct 26 2023

Defendant: Michael Turner

Convicted murderer Michael Turner resentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole
A three-judge panel of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas removed Michael Turner from death row today, sentencing him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Judges Julie Lynch, Andria Noble and David Young issued the decision in accordance with Ohio law th...
Oct 26 2023

Defendant: John Wooden

Franklin County Jury Finds John Wooden Guilty of the 2021 Murder of Mohamed Hassan Adam
The Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secured guilty verdicts on all charges against John Wooden, 47, for the 2021 murder of Mohamed Hassan Adam. Wooden, of Columbus, was found guilty of numerous counts, including aggravated murder, kidnapping, aggravated robbery a...

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