Roommate killed with machete, police say

HOMICIDE

A man is charged with murder, accused of attacking his roommate with a machete at their Northeast Side apartment Thursday morning.

Columbus police and fire paramedics were called at 11:29 a.m. Thursday to the 5100 block of Berryleaf Grove at the Berryleaf Grove apartment complex off Westerville Road.

They found Omar B. Alston, 31, suffering from multiple stab wounds all over his body, police said.

Alston was transported to OhioHealth Riverside Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 3:30 p.m., police said.

David Jonathan Morrison, 24, Alston’s roommate, was arrested and charged with murder for Alston’s death.

Detectives said they don’t know what triggered the attack.

Alston’s death is the city’s 64th homicide this year.

Columbus police are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found outside a North Linden townhouse Thursday morning.

Police said Patricia D. Alexander, 35, was found in the 1800 block of Oakland Park Avenue. Police were called at 7:58 a.m.

Sgt. David Sicilian with the Columbus police homicide squad said her body might have been there overnight.

A cause of death has not been released.

This is the 63rd homicide in Columbus this year.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Columbus police homicide unit at 614-645-4730.

Abdinasir was pronounced dead at 7:40 a.m. Wednesday.

According to Dispatch archives, 14 other people, 4 to 69 years old, have drowned in retention ponds in Franklin County since 2004. Four were children, including one on a bicycle and another who was riding in a car. Six adult victims had driven vehicles into ponds.

Safety officials urge people to watch their children. “Protecting your child is the most important thing you can do,” Wagenknecht said.