DaytonDailyNews.com

DAYTON — A Columbus man faces 18 felony charges for the murder of Jenny Nelson and the kidnapping of her 4-year-old son, but prosecutors are not sure if they will seek the death penalty.

Charlie W. Myers, 22, of 70 McMillen Ave., Columbus, is charged with eight felony counts of aggravated murder, four counts of kidnapping, and two counts of aggravated robbery.

The Montgomery Prosecutor's Office approved the charges Tuesday, Jan. 6.

Myers also faces one felony count each of gross sexual imposition, grand theft auto, receiving stolen property and having weapons while under disability.

State law allows county prosecutors to file multiple aggravated murder counts for the same offense based on subsections of the Ohio Revised Code. All aggravated murder counts approved by a jury would be merged into one at the time of sentencing.

Investigators said Myers, armed with a shotgun and sexual devices, drove from Columbus on Friday in the Nelson family's 1999 Honda Accord, stolen from an Ohio State parking garage on Dec. 17; kicked opened the front door of the Nelson home; and tied Jenny Nelson up.

Myers intended to have sexual contact with her 4-year-old son, Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer said.

Nelson broke free from her restraints, grabbed a knife and stabbed Myers in the back, investigators said.

Myers then shot Nelson twice in the abdomen with his shotgun and fled in an Oldsmobile Alero belonging to a Nelson relative, taking the 4-year-old boy, two computers and Nelson's cell phone with him, investigators said.

He dropped the boy off about 8:30 p.m. Friday at a highway rest area near the Madison and Clark county line, Plummer said.

The boy was able to tell authorities he lived at 80 Redder Ave., where deputies found Nelson dead in the hallway. Her husband, Eddie Nelson Jr., was at work at the time, Plummer said.

Plummer said he did not believe the 29-year-old mother was sexually assaulted. It is unclear how Myers knew Jenny and Eddie Nelson had a 4-year-old son.