Woman Charged With Murder in Hilltop Shooting Death of James Pettigrew Jr.; $2M Bond Set, Second Suspect Still Sought

Police investigation at a Hilltop neighborhood home following the shooting of James Pettigrew Jr.

COLUMBUS — A Franklin County Municipal Court judge set a $2 million bond Saturday for Molly Jones, 35, after she was charged with murder in the January 27 shooting death of James C. Pettigrew Jr. in Columbus’s Hilltop neighborhood. Jones was arraigned Saturday and remains held at the Franklin County Jail. A second suspect, Marcellus … Read more

Columbus AEP Customers Report Electric Bills Doubling; Utility Points to Rate Increases

AEP Ohio electric bill showing doubled charges

COLUMBUS — Some AEP Ohio customers in Columbus say their electric bills have doubled over the past two months, and they want answers. Residents in the Columbus area took to social media Friday to share their frustration. Multiple customers reported seeing bills nearly twice as high as the same period last year, even accounting for … Read more

Construction Worker Killed in Hit-and-Run on I-70; Police Search for Maroon Toyota

Columbus Police investigating fatal hit-and-run crash on I-70 Westbound near SR-315 interchange.

COLUMBUS — A construction worker died early Saturday morning after a driver struck him inside an active work zone on Interstate 70 westbound near State Route 315 and fled the scene, according to the Columbus Division of Police. The crash happened at approximately 2:01 a.m. Police said a maroon Toyota sedan, believed to be an … Read more

Freeman Family Sues Three Columbus Officers Over Failure to Act Before Near East Side Killing

Family Sues Columbus Officers Over 2024 Killing Marchelle Freeman

COLUMBUS — The family of Marchelle Freeman, a 60-year-old Columbus woman shot and killed by her partner in 2024, filed a wrongful death lawsuit Thursday against three Columbus police officers. The complaint alleges the officers twice responded to her home, heard explicit death threats, and left without taking her firearm — hours before she was … Read more

Columbus City Council Votes 9–0 to Restrict ICE Activity on City Property

Columbus City Council members voting on ICE activity legislation at City Hall

The Columbus City Council ICE vote made history on Monday with a unanimous 9–0 decision. Every council member agreed to pass five new laws that limit how federal immigration officers (ICE) work in Columbus. These rules change how federal agents use city-owned buildings and interact with local police. These changes will start as soon as … Read more