One woman and two children found dead in east Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Three people, including two children, were found dead in an east Columbus apartment complex late Thursday morning.

According to Columbus police, officers were called to the 3300 block of Broadmoor Avenue in Eastmoor to perform a well-being check. CPD Sgt. James Fuqua said that when officers arrived, three people were found dead.

Police said the victims were identified as Journey Fletcher, 25, and her two children, 5-year-old Jalani Jennings and 3-month-old Harmoni Agyei. All three were pronounced dead at 11:09 a.m.

Police said a firearm was found at the scene but have not confirmed a cause of death, although they are investigating it as a homicide. According to Sgt. Fuqua, a neighbor had raised concern after not hearing from the victims in a while, leading to the wellness check.

Rayshanette Cole said she has been friends with Fletcher since 2019, and that she now feels like a piece of her is lost forever.

She said she saw an article and did not think anything of it until she received a text from her sister about it being Fletcher’s home. She said she started calling and texting, but it just went to voicemail or never delivered.

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Cole said she wants people to know Fletcher as a person, not a victim.

“No matter what she was going through, she never showed the sad side of her,” Cole said. “She was always the happy person. Every time I got around, she was always a happy person and she always talked about her kids. She loved her kids.”

Fuqua said the situation is extremely tragic.

“This is one of these things that’s not normal. It’s not normal for any human being,” Fuqua said. “I don’t care if you’re the police, I don’t care if you’re fire, it’s not normal to see the loss of life, specifically with multiple victims.”

No other information was provided regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident as police continue to investigate the active scene. Police said they are not looking for a specific suspect at this time, but said the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to call lead detective Johnson at 614-645-4488, send an email to [email protected] or call Central Ohio Crime Stoppers to leave an anonymous tip at 614-461-TIPS (8477).

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