Cleveland, OH
Statewide group aims to improve missing persons investigations in Ohio
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A new statewide missing persons working group is focused on improving missing persons investigations.
Twenty-four members appointed by Governor Mike DeWine are looking at ways to bring loved ones home safer and faster.
The Missing Persons Working Group is examining resources and responses statewide.
The working group includes local members from Cleveland Police, New Philadelphia Police and the U.S. Marshal’s Service.
19 Investigates was there as the group met for its second time last week.
Sylvia Colon, co-founder of Cleveland Missing, is also a part of the working group.
“Families are victims too, and I say that over and over again. And I said it at our first meeting and I’ll continue to say it. But I don’t even need to say it anymore, the families that come here, they talk about how they’ve been victimized as well. I think that’s what’s really important, and those are going to have to be takeaways for law enforcement to think differently about how they engage differently with families of the missing,” Colon said.
Sylvia’s cousin, Gina DeJesus, was one of three women found alive on the west side of Cleveland after nearly a decade.
We asked Colon what she thinks is the most pressing change that can be made quickly.
“I think our hope is that there will be some standardized processes in law enforcement around how they work a missing persons case, whether it be a child or an adult,” she said.
Members of the group are diving into best practices to find missing people.
Colon said they discussed making sure police agencies and families know you don’t need to wait 24 hours to file a police report.
Members of the working group also pitched the idea of better training for all detectives on missing persons cases and hit on the importance of digitizing records in cold cases across the state.
“They’re really identifying families and looking at what the needs of the families are as well. And to me that speaks volumes to what this committee can do,” Colon said.
The working group also talked about the idea of having a “missing persons point person” at every law enforcement agency.
The group will meet four more times and is expected to issue recommendations at the end of April.
Copyright 2025 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
House explosion in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood catches neighboring houses on fire
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A house explosion in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood caught its two neighboring houses and a car on fire and covered the street in thick smoke.
The family who lived in the house that exploded was not home at the time, Cleveland Fire confirmed.
Cleveland EMS told 19 News that paramedics evaluated a 14-year-old boy in stable condition and will be transported by private vehicle for medical assistance.
All residents were safely evacuated and are being assisted by the Red Cross.
The houses are in the 5900 block of Cable Avenue, east of Broadway.
The two-story house that exploded collapsed after noon, Cleveland Fire confirmed.
The explosion and blaze caught the neighboring houses on both sides on fire, Cleveland Fire said.
Below is raw video our 19 News crews captured on scene:
Our cameras captured a first responder carrying a young child on the street away from the home, but it is unknown which house the child lived in.
Cleveland Fire said that 10 companies and 45 firefighters had all fires under control in an hour and a half.
Clouds of smoke filled the nearby streets, creating dangerously low visibility and difficult breathing conditions.
The plume of smoke could be seen for miles, even in downtown Cleveland and Parma.
The cause of the explosion and the estimated damage amount have yet to be determined. Enbridge Gas is on scene, and 19 News is waiting to hear back.
Return to 19 News for updates.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The 17-year-old boy accused of a deadly shooting at a Cleveland deli, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Thursday.
Royal King was indicted on the charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, carrying concealed weapons, and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle.
King will continue being held on a $1 million bond at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Facility.
He will return to court on March 2 for a pre-trial.
King is accused of killing Jahari Stegall, 17, on Sept. 19, 2025 at the E. 185th Deli in the city’s Northshore Collinwood neighborhood.
PREVIOUS STORY: Teen identified after shooting death at Cleveland deli
King allegedly drove to the deli in a stolen car and walked through the aisles.
Security cameras then show Stegall walking through the parking lot.
King allegedly met Stegall at the door with a gun in his hand and shot him in the back of the head before fleeing the scene.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said Stegall was a good kid who barely knew King.
U.S. Marshals arrested King on Oct. 29, 2025 at home on E. 147th Street in Cleveland.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
OHIO — The Ohio Emergency Management Agency, in partnership with the National Weather Service offices in Wilmington and Cleveland, is partnering with Lamar Advertising to help expand the Ohio Traveler Alert System to more parts of the state.
Ohio EMA said the system will soon include areas of greater Cleveland, Toledo and the Cincinnati Metropolitan area.
“Severe weather can make driving difficult and dangerous,” said Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio. “By expanding the Ohio Traveler Alert System, our goal is to get critical weather alerts to more drivers in real-time.”
The system was launched in 2024 in the areas of Dayton and Columbus. If there’s severe weather, digital billboards display messages alerting travelers about certain conditions, such as high winds, snow squalls, ice and flooding.
“Collaborations like these are the backbone of community safety,” said Sima Merick, Ohio Emergency Management Agency executive director. “When we work together, we strengthen our ability to protect the people we serve. OTAS is a prime example of these partnerships.”
Ohio EMA said the communication and messaging on billboards is not only an effective way to communicate to Ohio residents but also to travelers who may not be familiar with the area.
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