Brothers killed woman, set body on fire, police say

Two brothers are accused of killing a woman, dumping her body and setting it on fire with trash on the West Side just a couple of days before Christmas last year.

Police arrested Dawan C. Dortch, 24, and Thomas R. Dortch, 31, late Friday night. Both face charges of murder and tampering with evidence.

Firefighters were called to an alley in the 100 block of South Eureka Avenue in the Hilltop just before 12:30 a.m. Dec. 23. There they found the remains of 39-year-old Demeki Lashae Walker.

Columbus police homicide detectives searched Walker’s residence in the 1200 block of Sullivant Avneue in Franklinton a day after her death. Inside they found evidence that indicated she likely died at her home.

A large amount of blood was discovered along with rubber gloves used in an attempt to clean it up. A spent shell casing was also collected. Lab results show Walker’s blood along with the Dortch brothers’ DNA was found on gloves from inside her home, according to court records.

Walker’s home had front and rear security cameras. Video shows the Dortch brothers back up a van to the rear door just out of camera view. A tailgate goes up in the camera’s view and that’s likely when Walker’s body was loaded inside the van, according to court records.

A woman told police she was supposed to pick up Walker at her home. When they spoke several hours earlier, the woman told police she could hear Dawan’s voice in the background.

Both brothers have prior gun offense convictions in Franklin County, records from common pleas court show. Thomas Dortch was also convicted of robbery in 2006.

Both are scheduled to appear for arraignment in municipal court on Monday.