Crime
18-year-old Ja’Niyah Hardy killed in Trotwood shooting
20-year-old Donte Lamar Cotton, Jr charged with murder after deadly Trotwood shooting
UPDATE: A 20-year-old man, Donte Lamar Cotton, Jr., has been charged with murder following a fatal shooting incident that occurred on Tuesday, October 22nd, in Trotwood, Ohio.
Trotwood Police responded to a call reporting a shooting at the 5500 block of Autumn Woods Drive. Upon arrival, officers discovered the body of 18-year-old Ja’niyah Hardy, who had been fatally shot.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office identified Hardy as the victim of the shooting.
The investigation revealed that a domestic dispute between Cotton and Hardy took place within the apartment they shared at the Autumn Woods Drive address.
Cotton has also been charged with felony counts of tampering with evidence related to Hardy’s death.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Trotwood Police Department at 937-837-7771 or Crime Stoppers at 937-222-STOP.
Cotton’s next court appearance is scheduled for Friday, October 25th.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
The victim of a fatal shooting that occurred on Wednesday at an apartment complex in Trotwood, Ohio has been identified.
Trotwood Police responded to a call at the 5500 block of Autumn Woods Drive around 3 PM, where they discovered an unresponsive woman lying on her back near the front door.
The woman, identified as Ja’Niyah Hardy, 18, had sustained a gunshot wound.
Despite life-saving efforts by first responders, Hardy succumbed to her injuries.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office is investigating the cause of death.
Authorities have confirmed that another person was present at the residence at the time of the shooting.
However, it remains unclear if a suspect is in custody.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Further details will be released as they become available.
Crime
Noe Santillan Rincon Accused of Inappropriately Touching 5-Year-Old Shot 14 Times, 18-Year-Old Alishon Torres Charged with Murder
An 18-year-old woman in Memphis, Tennessee, is facing a murder charge after police say she shot a man multiple times following allegations that he had inappropriately touched a young child.
According to the Memphis Police Department, officers responded shortly before 2:00 a.m. on February 26, 2026, to reports of a person lying in the roadway in the Willowview area of Memphis.
When officers arrived, they found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was later identified as Noe Santillan Rincon.
Investigators determined that Rincon had been shot approximately 14 times and was pronounced dead at the scene.
As detectives began investigating the case, they traced Rincon’s final movements.
According to police, he had been staying at a residence with a woman who told officers that he left the home around 1:00 a.m., stating he was going to a nearby store.
A short time later, the woman reported receiving calls from Rincon’s phone. The caller, however, was not Rincon. Police say the person using the phone was her 18-year-old daughter, Alishon Torres.
Authorities later located Torres and brought her in for questioning. During the investigation, detectives say Torres described events that allegedly led to the fatal shooting.
According to court documents, three to four weeks prior to the incident, a 5-year-old girl reported that Rincon had touched her inappropriately. Police say Torres later encountered Rincon in the Willowview area and asked to borrow his phone.
Investigators allege that Torres then confronted Rincon about the accusation. During the confrontation, police say she shot him multiple times while the two were inside a van.
After the shooting, authorities say Torres drove the vehicle to an abandoned house, where she allegedly attempted to repaint the van in an effort to conceal evidence. She later left the vehicle at a nearby apartment complex.
Police say that when Torres was taken into custody, a handgun fell from her purse, which she admitted was one of the weapons used in the shooting. According to investigators, she also told detectives she had sold or given away a second firearm after the incident.
Torres has since been charged with murder in connection with Rincon’s death.
The case remains under investigation as authorities continue gathering evidence and reviewing the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The case has sparked significant debate online and within the community. While some argue that individuals should not take the law into their own hands, others have expressed strong emotions regarding the allegations that preceded the deadly confrontation.
Legal proceedings will ultimately determine the outcome of the case as it moves through the court system.