An Ohio man was arrested for allegedly raping and murdering his 13-year-old daughter, who was missing for several days. The teen, Kei’Mani Latigue, was reported missing in Toledo on March 18 after being last seen with her father, Darnell Jones.
Following her disappearance, Jones told local news that he last saw her on March 16, saying she had expressed feeling afraid to be alone. He appeared on TV telling WTVG, “I came over here because she said that it seemed like somebody was trying to break into the house. I and my cousin sat over here for an hour, and we left around 12:30-ish.”
Police found Kei’Mani inside a derelict, burnt-out building on Monday, March 22, 2025, a day after an arrest warrant was issued for Jones, who was a suspect in her abduction. Jones was reportedly inconsistent with the statements he gave to the police regarding his whereabouts and the activities he had with his daughter.
The disturbing discovery led to Jones being charged with murder following an alleged standoff with the police. According to reports, Columbus police intercepted Jones on Tuesday, and there was a confrontation that led to shots being fired. Jones, who allegedly had a gun, was critically wounded during the incident and was taken to the hospital.
According to reports, the county’s medical examiner determined that the cause of death was “multiple incised wounds of the neck” that Kei’Mani had sustained. The chilling details of the murder were also revealed by Lieutenant Brian Steel from the Columbus Police Department, who described the scene as horrific. Steel said the teen was raped, her head almost severed and both of her hands were cut off.
Moved by the tragedy, over 100 locals created a memorial at the site where Kei’Mani was found, filling it with candles, flowers, and balloons. One resident expressed that the entire community had been deeply wounded by the teen’s murder. Kei’Mani’s classmate, 13-year-old Kaylenna Bullis, remembered her fondly as she spoke about the teen’s kind personality. “She was really nice, no matter what,” Kaylenna said, according to a Blade report. She emphasised that despite challenges like people being mean, Kei’Mani always remained pleasant.