Just hours prior to a public vigil in honor of a mother and speech pathologist from central Ohio who tragically lost her life while attempting to prevent the theft of her vehicle with her son inside, Columbus police released new surveillance footage on Wednesday, revealing three suspects who are being sought in connection with her death.
In the video, it is evident that two out of the three suspects are in hot pursuit of Alexa Stakely’s stolen Honda, which is being driven by the third suspect. The chase takes place on foot, and eventually, the two suspects join the driver in the apartment complex’s parking lot, abandoning the car there. As per the police, the three suspects were last seen walking towards the north on Brynwood Green Drive.
According to Columbus police, the trio displayed a level of comfort in the area by continuing to walk after leaving Stakely’s Honda. This suggests that they either live in the neighborhood or have acquaintances in the vicinity.
Authorities investigating a homicide case are urging residents of The Residences at James Place and The Residences at Akita Lane to review their surveillance footage for any potential evidence from the early hours of July 11th. The detectives are seeking the public’s help in solving this case and are encouraging anyone with video footage to come forward.
Central Ohio single mom dies after trying to stop vehicle theft
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In the early hours of Thursday morning, Alexa Stakely, a 29-year-old woman tragically lost her life after being hit by her own SUV. She had just finished her second job as a waitress and was on her way to pick up her 6-year-old son from her babysitter’s residence situated on the 6300 block of Blue Knoll Drive at the White Oak Park Condominiums around 1:30 a.m. The incident occurred while she was in the process of picking up her child.
As Stakely stood in the babysitter’s doorway, she gathered her son’s belongings and secured him in her SUV. Just as she was completing the task, she noticed a vehicle leaving the driveway.
According to the police, Stakely sustained a deadly head injury as she fell to the ground following the collision with her own vehicle. Witnesses reported seeing two male suspects running away on foot. Fortunately, Stakely’s son remained unharmed during the incident. In the body cam footage, he can be heard informing an officer that he slept through the theft of their vehicle.
Memorial planned Wednesday evening for Stakely at same school where she worked
On Wednesday evening, there will be a public vigil held for Stakely at Winchester Trails Elementary School. This is the same school where Stakely worked as a speech language pathologist and the community and family members are continuing to show their support by attending the vigil.
Join us for a vigil on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The event will be held at the auditorium of Winchester Trail Elementary located at 6865 Gender Rd in Canal Winchester. Let us come together to honor and remember.
The obituary of the deceased mentions that visitation will be held on Thursday at Grace Fellowship Church in Lithopolis, located at 11573 Lithopolis Rd NW. Family members, close friends, and colleagues can pay their respects during the two scheduled time slots: 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. The service and burial will take place at the same location on a later date. Dwayne R. Spence Funeral Home in Canal Winchester has taken charge of the arrangements.
Loose Rail Brewing, located on 37 W. Waterloo St. in Canal Winchester, is organizing a charity drive on Monday to support a noble cause. The event aims to raise funds for a trust that will benefit a son in need. Students and friends of the school district can sign a banner, while memorial journals will be available for attendees to fill with words of encouragement for Stakely’s family. The event also features face painting, yard games, s’mores kits, and baked goods. Every penny raised will go towards the trust, making it a great opportunity for the community to come together for a good cause.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the online fundraiser for Stakely’s son has exceeded its initial goal of $15,000, with over $80,000 raised. This impressive amount was made possible by the generous donations of over 1,500 people.
If you have any video or photo evidence that could aid in the investigation, you can easily submit it to the Columbus police through their online portal. For those with information regarding Stakely’s murder, Detective Lemmon, the lead investigator, can be reached at 614-645-2558 or RALemmon@ColumbusPolice.org. Alternatively, you can contact Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477, and rest assured that all calls made to them are completely anonymous.