Ohio
3 arrested in death of Alexa Stakely, Ohio mom killed trying to save son in carjacking
Video: Security cameras show suspects believed to be involved the carjacking of Alexa Stakely
Security cameras show suspects believed to be involved the carjacking and death of Alexa Stakely. Stakely was hit and killed while trying to stop her vehicle from being stolen with her 6-year-old son inside.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s law requiring children under 16 to get parental consent to use social media apps must be restored, a divided panel of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.
The decision comes as a blow to NetChoice, which has won court victories against identical digital identification laws in other states, including Arkansas, Louisiana and Georgia. The trade group representing TikTok, Snapchat, Meta and other major tech companies said the Ohio decision went against “clear national consensus” and that it intended to keep fighting.
“An unconstitutional law protects no one, and we remain focused on ensuring the First Amendment rights of Ohioans are protected,” said Paul Taske, director of the NetChoice Litigation Center.
Netchoice brought suit against Ohio’s law in 2024, arguing that it was overly broad, vague and represented an unconstitutional impediment to free speech.
The Cincinnati-based Sixth Circuit’s panel disagreed. In a 2-1 decision, it found that the law was not unconstitutional and sent it back to a lower court to have a block on the law’s enforcement vacated.
“At bottom, the Act imposes a parental consent requirement,” Judge Eric Clay wrote in the lead opinion. “That requirement constitutes a marginal burden that precisely targets the multi-faceted problem that Ohio has identified: Children’s unsupervised assent to terms and conditions for use of platforms that take advantage of and harm them.”
Judge Alice Batchelder concurred, writing that “a statute is not vague just because it has a wide berth.”
Known as the Social Media Parental Notification Act, the Ohio law was part of an $86.1 billion state budget bill that Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law in July 2023.
The administration pushed the measure as a way to protect children’s mental health, with then-Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, now a U.S. senator, saying at the time that social media was “intentionally addictive” and harmful to kids.
The law requires companies to get parental permission for social media and gaming apps and to provide their privacy guidelines so families know what content would be censored or moderated on their child’s profile.
Republican Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson called Thursday’s ruling “a win for Ohio families.”
“The court agreed that parents –- not social media companies –- should get a say in what kids see online,” he said in a statement. “We have an obligation to keep our children safe, and today, the most dangerous place for our kids is the internet. This decision gives parents the tools to be involved and provide oversight.”
Piketon, Ohio (WSAZ) – Folks in southern Ohio are waking up to power outages and road closures.
Route 32 in Pike County is down to one westbound and one eastbound lane due to debris on the roadway.
Drivers are also dealing with tree limbs on roadways.
The Athens County 911 dispatcher told WSAZ that it’s not believed a tornado touched down, but there is storm damage.
The dispatcher said storm damage from flooding and trees being knocked down has affected US 50.
Power outages are being reported in Athens, Pike, Vinton, Scioto and Meigs Counties and even as far south as Boyd County, Ky.
If you’re in a tornado warning area, you’re urged to get to the lower part of your home.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.
Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Clarence Burley, II, affectionately known as “Lil Man,” entered eternal rest on Thursday, June 5, 2026, at the age of 60, at Summa Health Akron City Hospital in Akron, Ohio.
Born on May 22, 1966, in Youngstown, Ohio, Clarence was the beloved son of Clarence L. Burley and Jacqueline Wilkinson-Burley.
He attended Ursuline High School and graduated with the Class of 1984.
Clarence was a hardworking and dedicated man who spent many years employed at Classic Optical Corporation as a Lens and Frame Specialist. Known for his skill and precision, he was recognized as one of the top lens shapers during his tenure with the company. He also worked for Goodwill Industries, where his exceptional work ethic earned him recognition and awards for outstanding service.
A devoted fan of the Oakland Raiders, Clarence enjoyed football, boxing, roller skating, and bowling. In his younger years, he was also an accomplished swimmer. He loved life and cherished spending time with family and friends. Whether enjoying a cruise vacation, visiting the lake to admire the water, debating sports statistics from A to Z, or simply sharing laughter with loved ones, Clarence brought joy wherever he went.
Known for his impeccable style, Clarence was often dressed to perfection. He was especially proud of his many Cadillacs, but none more than his beloved Cadillac Seville, affectionately known as “the baby caddy.” He could often be found cruising through the city, listening to music and enjoying the ride. His infectious smile, strength, humor, and generous spirit will forever be remembered by those who knew and loved him.
In 1999, Clarence met the love of his life, the former Cathy Winphrie. Their friendship blossomed into a lasting bond, and they were united in holy matrimony in 2015. Together they shared a life filled with love, companionship, and cherished memories.
Clarence leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife, Cathy Burley; his children, Shannie (Meisha) Burley of Atlanta, Georgia; DeShawn Burley (fiancée Ziah) of Warren, Ohio; Eddie W. Matthews; and Montell Cochrane; his beloved grandchildren, Zaira, DeShawn, Jr., Deondra, Audrionna, Eddie, Jr., Quiara, Azel, Anyia, Marquel, Aiden, Adalese, Meadow, and Amatureas; five great-grandchildren; his mother-in-law, Eula Winphrie; brothers-in-law, James (Jamie) Winphrie and Timothy (Kori) Winphrie; sisters-in-law, Regina Winphrie and Azella Burley; niece Helleenia Winphrie; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, and dear friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence L. Burley and Jacqueline Wilkinson-Burley; his brother, Wesley Burley; and his grandmother, Carrie Davis.
Though Clarence’s earthly journey has ended, his legacy lives on through the lives he touched, the family he loved, and the countless memories he leaves behind. His strength, perseverance, laughter, and love will continue to inspire all who were blessed to know him.
“To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”2 Corinthians 5:8
A homegoing celebration will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday June 20, 2026 at Jerusalem Baptist Church , a visitation with the family will be 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. at the Church.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Gregory-Martin Funeral Home. For additional information, please call (330) 743-4098.
To send flowers or plant a memorial tree in memory, please visit our flower store.
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