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3 arrested in death of Alexa Stakely, Ohio mom killed trying to save son in carjacking

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3 arrested in death of Alexa Stakely, Ohio mom killed trying to save son in carjacking


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COLUMBUS, Ohio — All three suspects wanted in connection with the death of Alexa Stakely, an Ohio mom struck while trying to prevent the theft of her vehicle with her 6-year-old son inside, have been taken into custody, authorities said Wednesday evening.

A 16-year-old male whom police say admitted he was driving Stakely’s vehicle turned himself in and is being charged with delinquency murder in Franklin County Juvenile court, Columbus police said. The second male, 17, was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon.

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The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network, is not naming the two minors.

A third male, Gerald Dowling, 19, turned himself in Wednesday night, according to Columbus police. Authorities later confirmed that Dowling was charged with murder.

Police said the 17-year-old male admitted to detectives that he was present during the attempted theft of Stakely’s vehicle. Additional details regarding what he would be charged with were not immediately available Wednesday.

The 16-year-old, accompanied by his parents, surrendered himself at Columbus police headquarters and agreed to an interview with detectives, authorities said. The teen later told detectives that he and the two other acquaintances were looking for a vehicle to steal around 1:30 a.m. on July 11 when they came across Stakely’s Honda.

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What happened to Alexa Stakely?

Stakely, 29, a single mother who was a speech-language pathologist for Winchester Trail Elementary School in Canal Winchester, Ohio, also had a part-time job as a waitress to support her son. She was picking her son up after a waitressing shift.

Stakely brought the sleeping boy out to her Honda CRV, which she left running, while she met the babysitter in the doorway to get the boy’s belongings, police said.

As Stakely returned to her vehicle, she saw someone inside beginning to back out onto the road. Stakely ran out toward the Honda and was heard screaming for her child and telling the driver to stop, police said.

As his two friends watched, the 16-year-old told detectives he got into Stakely’s vehicle and was about to drive off when Stakely ran out to stop him. Police said the teen told detectives that he panicked and began driving off, striking Stakely with her vehicle.

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Police said the Honda hit Stakely and she was knocked to the pavement, suffering a “fatal wound” to her head. She was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

The 16-year-old abandoned the Honda within the same complex. Witnesses saw two males running north, past where Stakely was on the ground, jumping a fence and escaping into a neighboring apartment complex, police said. The three regrouped a short time later on foot, police said.

Stakely’s son was recovered uninjured and told police he slept through the attempted carjacking.

‘She was my best friend’

More than 100 people gathered near Winchester Trail Elementary School last week to pay tribute to the young single mother. Stakely’s friends and colleagues said she aspired to own a home and business. Those who knew her said she was loyal to her friends and family and loved her son “fiercely.

Stakely’s brother, Braedyn Price, also attended the vigil. Price, 21, said that he woke up at 4 a.m. on July 11 to a phone call saying that his sister, best friend, and mentor, Alexa, had been hit by a car. He said he initially didn’t believe it and then thought she had suffered some moderate injuries but that she’d recover.

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“And the next thing I knew, I was looking over her body,” Price said. “It’s still very hard for me to grasp.”

Price said that since his sister’s passing, he just feels “empty” and that he’s had trouble sleeping. He also said that he is angry at the people who are responsible for her death.

“She was an amazing human and my best friend,” Price said.

Violent carjackings in the U.S.

Carjackings have significantly increased in some U.S. cities since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Council on Criminal Justice. Carjackings surged by 93% in 10 cities from 2019 to 2023 and while the figure fell by 5% in 2023, data showed that the rate of carjackings was still high compared to years before 2020.

The rise in carjacking rates — along with other violent crimes — have prompted authorities, including in the nation’s capital, to provide more resources and crackdown on crime.

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Since 1992, federal, state, and local authorities have tried to toughen carjacking laws in response to spates of violent carjackings — including some incidents in which victims were murdered. One incident is credited to have prompted a federal response.

In September 1992, Pamela Basu, 34, was dragged to her death after two carjackers pushed her out of her vehicle while she was at a stop sign. Basu was driving her 2-year-old daughter to her first day of preschool.

During the incident, Basu’s arm got caught in a seatbelt and she was dragged for one and a half miles after she attempted to reach for her daughter in the back seat, according to The New York Times Archives. The two perpetrators were convicted of murder and other charges.

The murder of Basu shocked the country and outraged members of Congress, according to a North Carolina Central Law Review article. Congress quickly passed the Federal Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992 and former President George H. W. Bush signed it into law in October 1992.

Contact Shahid Meighan at smeighan@dispatch.com or on X @ShahidMeighan

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Ex-husband arrested in deaths of Ohio dentist and his wife | CNN

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Ex-husband arrested in deaths of Ohio dentist and his wife | CNN


The ex-husband of Monique Tepe has been arrested in connection with the killings of the mother and her husband Spencer Tepe, a respected dentist, in their Ohio home last week, Columbus police said Saturday.

Michael David McKee, 39, who court records identify as Monique Tepe’s ex-husband, is in custody in Winnebago County, Illinois, according to inmate records with the sheriff’s office.

McKee is scheduled to appear in court Monday, records show. He was arrested on two counts of murder in the killings on Saturday, an incident report shows, and was taken into custody “without incident” in Rockford, Illinois, police said.

Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, were found dead with apparent gunshot wounds on December 30 in their house in Columbus. The couple’s two children, ages 4 and 1, were also inside but were not physically harmed, police said.

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The arrest marks a major development in the case after the suspect in the couple’s killings remained on the loose for more than 10 days, during which police released scant details on the investigation.

Police said Saturday they will release further information “as appropriate” to avoid compromising the “active and ongoing case progress” and urged people to contact them with any information related to the tragedy.

Authorities did not find any obvious signs of forced entry or any firearm at the scene, CNN affiliate WSYX reported.

Colleagues in Spencer Tepe’s dental practice called 911 after he uncharacteristically didn’t show up to work. One of Tepe’s friends went to the couple’s house, peered inside and saw a gruesome scene next to a bed, according to emergency dispatch audio.

“There’s … there’s a body,” the friend told 911. “Our friend wasn’t answering his phone. We just did a wellness check. We just came here. And he appears dead.”

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Asked if Tepe had been ill, the friend responded, “No, no. I was just with him yesterday.”

The couple’s two children and dog are now in the care of relatives, the Tepes’ brother-in-law said.



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Ohio high school girls basketball scores: Friday, Jan. 9, 2026

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Ohio high school girls basketball scores: Friday, Jan. 9, 2026


CLEVELAND, Ohio — OHSAA girls basketball scores from Friday in Ohio, as provided by The Associated Press.

Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, Mich. 43, Notre Dame Academy 35

Baltimore Liberty Union 47, Cols. Hamilton Twp. 34

Berlin Center Western Reserve 68, N. Jackson Jackson-Milton 46

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Blanchester 40, Bethel-Tate 37

Chagrin Falls 37, Burton Berkshire 32

Circleville 62, Amanda-Clearcreek 40

Cle. Hay 88, Cle. Glenville 2

Cols. Centennial 78, Columbus International 50

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Cols. Linden-McKinley 54, Cols. Whetstone 28

Cols. Walnut Ridge 73, Cols. Marion-Franklin 12

Delaware Buckeye Valley 50, CSG 43

Delta 48, Bryan 44

Dublin Coffman 47, Cols. Upper Arlington 39

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Hilliard Darby 43, Thomas Worthington 32

Johnstown 47, Johnstown Northridge 41

Mason 54, Cin. Colerain 32

Newark 56, Ashville Teays Valley 42

Oak Harbor 52, Millbury Lake 31

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Ohio Deaf 50, Ky. School for the Deaf, Ky. 9

Pemberville Eastwood 65, Rossford 35

Pickerington North 41, New Albany 33

Springboro 66, Centerville 33

Stryker 54, Montpelier 20

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W. Chester Lakota W. 76, Fairfield 24

Wauseon 55, Swanton 13

Western Reserve Academy 65, Lawrenceville School, N.J. 33

Westerville Cent. 57, Grove City Cent. Crossing 20

Worthington Christian 57, Tree of Life 16

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Zanesville 58, Newark Licking Valley 40



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Ohio State students hone academic, business skills through study abroad programs

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Ohio State students hone academic, business skills through study abroad programs


Students across various majors at The Ohio State University recently gathered at the Fisher College of Business to discuss how study abroad opportunities have helped them hone skills that will benefit their studies and chosen career paths.

Fisher’s Office of Global Business and its Office of Advancement hosted the inaugural Global Experience Luncheon. The event was held at the Blackwell Inn on the Columbus campus.

The luncheon brought together alumni who have donated to study abroad programs with students who have participated in them, said Dominic DiCamillo, senior director of the Office of Global Business.

“We were excited to partner with Advancement for the first time to facilitate this type of personal connection. The families that have created these endowments, oftentimes, they hoped it would have some sort of positive impact,” he said. “This is the first time for them to hear firsthand from the students who recently participated.”

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Xin Lin, a third-year finance student, shared her experiences studying abroad in Hamburg, Germany, and Chiang Mai, Thailand. While in Germany in summer 2024, Lin completed the Fisher Freshman Global Lab with Professor Michael Knemeyer and studied at the Kühne Logistics University.

During Lin’s semester in Germany, her cohort toured the facilities of several international companies, including the Mercedes-Benz auto manufacturer, Seven Senders logistics enterprise, and Jack Wolfskin outdoor apparel.

“This was my first time being in Europe,” she said. “It was a really eye-opening experience and taught me to be curious about exploring other cultures, which is why I made the decision to study abroad in Chiang Mai, Thailand.”

This past summer in Chiang Mai, Lin completed the competitive Fisher Global Consulting: Nonprofit program, which is funded by an endowment established by Chris Connor, a 1978 Ohio State alumnus, and his wife, Sara. The participating students, called Connor Scholars, gain firsthand insights into the cultures and business practices of countries in developing regions worldwide.

“We were there for two weeks working on the sustainability and the marketing for the local elephant foundation, as well as to support the villagers,” she said. “And my team and I, we worked on the sustainability curriculum for the local school.”

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Lin said participating in study abroad programs sharpened her decision-making and problem-solving skills.

“Leveraging these experiences has strengthened my understanding of international business and macroeconomics,” she said. “Most importantly, it is the growth mindset and the endless learning that these experiences have taught me, and I’m really excited to be carrying these values into my future career and my academic journey.”

Jacob Brodson, a fourth-year marketing major, said participating in the Fisher Global Marketing Lab in Taiwan this past summer was “a transformational, life-changing trip.”

Jacob Brodson (center) said he met more than 25 Ohio State alumni in Taiwan.“If you can go to someplace that’s so fundamentally different from what we experience here on a day-to-day basis, you should absolutely take the opportunity to,” he said. “And Taiwan is that opportunity.”

Brodson said studying marketing and visiting 10 companies in Taiwan gave him a broader perspective on business practices in different countries.

“We went to TSMC, which is the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. That’s the 10th largest company in the world that you probably have never heard of, but they make all the phone and computer chips that are in your cellphones,” he said. “It was an unbelievable experience to see that.”

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Brodson and his classmates also toured a Kenda Tire facility.

“They actually do a lot of marketing at Ohio State sporting events because their U.S. headquarters is out in Reynoldsburg,” Brodson said. “We got to see their entire manufacturing plant in Taiwan.”

Brodson said he was pleasantly surprised to discover a Buckeye community overseas. He met more than 25 Ohio State alumni throughout Taiwan.

“We are halfway across the world and yet the most beautiful thing is that there are still reminders of home. We’re halfway across the country and there are still Buckeyes there,” he said. “That is one of the coolest things – seeing the Ohio State alumni and the fact that this Buckeye tradition transcends countries.”

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