An Ohio woman will serve at least 15 years in prison for the murder of her then-girlfriend’s 8-year-old son, authorities announced.
Martonio Wilder, 8, was discovered dead in his home’s attic on Olmstead Avenue in Columbus’ Milo-Grogan neighborhood, hidden in a trash bag inside a sleeping bag.
In Franklin County Common Pleas Court on Thursday, Johnna Lowe, 24, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to one count of murder and gross abuse of a corpse.
According to Buckeye State law, the condemned woman is eligible for parole after serving 15 years of her sentence.
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While the events leading up to the young boy’s death most likely occurred months before he died, law enforcement became involved in the case on June 28, 2024, when Martonio’s mother, LaShanda Delores Wilder, 33, reported him missing.
An Amber Alert was issued but quickly canceled.
During the subsequent investigation, police discovered the child’s body in the attic and were immediately suspicious of his cause of death.
Lowe and Wilder allegedly fled the house shortly after the missing persons report was filed, according to police, during an initial search. When officers arrived with a cadaver dog, Wilder allegedly became “uncooperative” and refused to let the canine inside. So the boy’s mother departed with Lowe and her two other children.
Then, after being forced to obtain a search warrant and discovering the victim’s remains, investigators became even more eager to speak with both women. They turned themselves in the following day.
According to an autopsy report, the little boy died as a result of homicide due to “asphyxia by anterior neck compression.”
There was also evidence of systematic abuse. The medical examiner also noted that the victim had suffered blunt trauma to his head, as well as severe malnutrition due to dehydration. At the time of his death, he weighed 35 pounds and stood 49 inches tall. The coroner also stated that he had “severe loss of muscle mass.”
Following the couple’s indictment, the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office claimed a history of abuse. Martonio was frequently locked in a closet to avoid food, according to an in-court report by Columbus ABC affiliate WSYX. The victim was occasionally beaten and choked with an extension cord.
According to The Columbus Dispatch, Lowe allegedly told detectives that the child had been beaten with a crutch and locked in a coat closet two days before his death. This, she claimed, was consistent with the “unusual punishments” meted out to the little boy.
“He was full of life,” Martonio’s great aunt told a television station outside the Franklin County courthouse. “He was incredibly bright. He adored everybody. He simply wanted to be loved. “He would hug you.”
Martonio’s cousin also spoke with WSYX, pointing out that the warning signs had been present for quite some time.
“She always kept him in the corner,” she explained. “He was always in the corner, while everyone else was playing.” What was he doing now? Oh, he stole. What did he steal? Food? “He’s probably hungry.”
However, according to the child’s cousin, those signs were insufficient for child welfare authorities to take action.
“I can’t take your child from you because you keep your kid in timeout too long,” according to the cousin. “I can’t take him from you even though I know you’re feeding the other two kids more than you’re feeding him.”
WSYX reported that Franklin County Children’s Services has been working with the family since May 2022. The agency stated that they provided numerous support services to Martonio’s mother during that time, which was also marked by police presence. Law enforcement officers visited the home at least 13 times in the year and a half leading up to Martonio’s death.
In the end, episodic state interventions were insufficient.
Lowe was granted 342 days of pre-trial detention credit as part of her plea agreement with the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.
Wilder is currently scheduled to appear in court on July 15.
