A 19-year-old woman is behind bars after Cincinnati police say a late-night meetup in Hartwell spiraled into a robbery, shooting, and deadly crash that claimed the life of an 18-year-old driver.
Officers responded last Wednesday, February 4, to a wrecked vehicle on Burns Avenue near East Galbraith Road and found the driver suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he later died. Police say several people bolted from the scene, and investigators now believe the shooting happened during a robbery connected to the crash.
According to court records, prosecutors have charged Destiny Newman, 19, with murder. She was booked into the Hamilton County jail early Thursday, and a municipal judge set her bond at $1 million. Newman remains in custody while detectives with the Cincinnati Police Homicide Unit work through witness accounts and other evidence, details that appear in court filings and booking records reported by FOX19.
What Investigators Say Happened
Prosecutors told a judge the incident started as a drug deal outside a Hartwell convenience store, where a group allegedly met the victim to buy marijuana. Court documents say things went sideways when a Cash App payment failed. Minutes later, a passerby heard a loud noise and saw three people sprint away from the car.
Officials say Newman and at least one other person went back to the vehicle, took property from the driver, and a shot was fired during the confrontation. These details were outlined in court filings described by WLWT.
First responders found the vehicle in the 8300 block of Burns Avenue and discovered the driver with a gunshot wound. He was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and later pronounced dead. Cincinnati police have identified him as 18-year-old Anthony Davis and say the case remains under investigation by the Homicide Unit. The shooting temporarily triggered a lockdown at nearby Wyoming High School, which was later lifted, according to WCPO.
Legal Next Steps and Unanswered Questions
Court paperwork alleges Newman and others robbed Davis and fired a weapon while he was driving, which prosecutors say led directly to the crash that killed him. They also say additional suspects are still on the loose. Charges were filed after investigators reviewed surveillance footage and multiple witness statements, according to initial reports and charging documents cited by WKRC.
Cincinnati police are asking anyone with information about the shooting or those who fled the scene to contact Cincinnati Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040 or reach out to the Cincinnati Police Homicide Unit. The hotline and tip instructions were previously shared in police briefings and local coverage. For now, Newman remains held on the murder charge while the investigation presses on, per FOX19.
