Columbus police make flurry of homicide arrests, including one in Coshocton

Columbus police detectives have arrested suspects in four homicides in the city, as well as a suspect in a homicide in Westerville, in the last week. 

On Tuesday night, Coshocton County Sheriff's Special Response Team deputies assisted Columbus police in arresting 19-year-old Talent Bradley, of Coshocton, at a home on the 700 block of Elm Street there. Bradley, who was taken into custody without incident, has been charged in connection to two separate homicides. 

More:Teen charged in May shooting death of another teen; man's death on NE Side ruled a homicide

Detectives have accused Bradley of stabbing 63-year-old Randy Gwirtz to death inside Gwirtz's home on the 1400 block of Fahlander Drive South, located in Columbus' Woodward Park neighborhood off of Karl Road. Gwirtz was found on June 7 after relatives said they had not been able to get in touch with him for several days. 

Bradley is also accused of killing 62-year-old Robert Goodrich on May 27 inside Goodrich's home on the 600 block of Mohican Way near Cherrington Elementary School in Westerville. 

Both men are believed to have been stabbed to death on May 26, according to Westerville police.

Court records show Bradley was identified by Columbus police homicide detectives who were able to trace a vehicle registered to Bradley that was seen on surveillance video near Goodrich's home, as well as cellphone records that indicated Bradley had searched for Gwirtz's address prior to his death.

Westerville police also said Bradley met both men through the dating app Grindr.

More:Westerville police seek vehicle owner in connection with Robert Goodrich's death

Bradley is currently being held in the Coshocton County jail and will be extradited back to Franklin County.

Columbus homicide detectives have also arrested 27-year-old Brittany Weldon, of the Near East Side, in connection with the July 2 shooting death of 49-year-old Eric Jackson, of the West Side. Jackson was found shot around 5:30 a.m. July 2 on the 600 block of Van Buren Drive. 

Court records show Weldon and another man are believed to have picked up Jackson to cash a check and an altercation occurred, resulting in Jackson being shot.

Detectives arrested a 17-year-old male last week in connection with the Feb. 21 shooting death of 27-year-old Josie Kamara, who was found shot around 4:20 a.m. on the 3500 block of Greenwich Street in North Linden. 

The Dispatch is not naming the teenager at this time because of his age. 

More:Police identify Northeast Side man as Sunday homicide victim

Two additional suspects have also been identified in the May 20 shooting death of 26-year-old Courtney Bruce, also known as rapper "Boog the Bandit." City homicide detectives said 19-year-old Jumada Williams, as well as a 17-year-old male, were with 22-year-old Kyson Murphy when the trio approached a vehicle Bruce was in around 6 p.m. on the 3000 block of Dort Place on the East Side. 

Bruce was shot during a robbery and driven to the hospital by another person in the vehicle. 

More:Up-and-coming rapper Boog the Bandit shot on Columbus' East Side, dies at hospital

Court records show Murphy entered guilty pleas to charges of involuntary manslaughter and robbery through a bill of information on Monday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. He is scheduled to be sentenced in December. 

Williams was arrested without incident and is currently being held in the Franklin County jail. The 17-year-old suspect remains at large. The Dispatch is not naming the teen at this time because of his age. 

bbruner@dispatch.com

@bethany_bruner