A Forest Park father has been sentenced to 21 years to life in prison for killing his 18-year-old neighbor, a teen who came to the man's Northland Boulevard apartment with his 7-year-old brother to talk about bullying. Prosecutors say the older teen was shot on the porch in front of both boys and the defendant's 10-year-old daughter.
Hamilton County Judge Patrick Dinkelacker imposed the sentence and called the shooting "a senseless killing," according to WLWT. Family members spoke directly to the defendant in court and urged the judge to give him the maximum possible term, the station reported.
Prosecutors say 38-year-old Domynic Elahee was convicted after facing two counts of murder and two counts of felonious assault, according to court filings cited by WKRC Local 12. The victim was identified as 18-year-old Jaeden Smith, who prosecutors say knocked on Elahee's door to talk about bullying involving his younger brother.
What happened
The shooting took place on May 5, 2025, in the 700 block of Northland Boulevard in Forest Park. According to court records, Smith and his 7-year-old brother went to Elahee's apartment and approached the porch. Reporting that reviewed the affidavit and 911 calls says Elahee came out of a back bedroom and opened fire on Smith on the porch. Smith was rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. FOX19 published both the affidavit and audio from nearby 911 calls that captured the immediate aftermath.
Legal details
Elahee's defense attorney told the court that his client believed Smith was armed and that he fired in self-defense. Investigators, however, said they found no weapon at the scene, according to WCPO. Early in the case, a judge set bond at $1 million, and a grand jury later added felonious assault counts to the charges, court records show.
Aftermath
During sentencing, family members, including Smith's mother and aunt, addressed the court and called the killing senseless, saying Elahee had shown no remorse, according to WLWT. Elahee chose not to speak before the sentence was handed down. His attorney briefly told the judge that his client was remorseful as the 21-year-to-life prison term was imposed.
