She was Dayton's sixth homicide victim in six days, the most the city has had in a single week in at least four years.
Alonta Culpepper, 13 and a student at Wogaman School, was in critical condition after being shot in the same incident at Rodgers’ Home Avenue house.
Police said they believe the shooter is convicted murderer Dameon Lareese Wesley, 39, who was released from prison in September and had been romantically involved with Rodgers’ mother, according to her family members.
Dayton now has 10 homicides this year, roughly on pace with the much larger cities of Cincinnati (9), Columbus (11) and Cleveland (12), and more than triple Dayton's own homicide pace from this point of the past two years. (Interactive Map: Deadly week in Dayton)
Family members heard shooting
Briona Rodgers’ aunt, Tanya Horton, said she was at her mother’s house next door to the shooting when the shots were fired Sunday afternoon.
“The first shots that I heard, I thought it was from the game,” Horton said, as people were playing the video game Grand Theft Auto. “You hear the gunshots, then you heard somebody scream. I sat here for a few minutes, then I heard some more shots. That’s what made me get up and look outside. Then I saw (Wesley) walking down the street with a gun in his hand.”
Horton said Wesley may have been chasing Rodgers’ mother, Dawan Culpepper. Horton said soon after, she spotted Dawan Culpepper walking outside and crying out, “he shot my baby twice.”
Horton said Alonta Culpepper’s family was updating her condition with followers on Facebook, adding that the latest news was that Culpepper was having surgery.
Dayton Police Major Chris Williams confirmed late Monday afternoon that Wesley — 6-foot-3 and 550 pounds — is the sole suspect in the shootings, but added that police had no information about his whereabouts.
Williams said Dayton Police are working with a variety of task forces on the case. He added that Dayton police have had contact with Wesley in recent months, but would not elaborate on the type of case.
Horton said Wesley and Dawan Culpepper met through an online dating service, but had been arguing in days leading up to the shooting.
“She didn’t want to be with him anymore, basically and she was just trying to get away from him,” Horton said.
Dayton police records show a rape complaint was filed by Dawan Culpepper on Jan. 16 at the 110 N. McGee St. address where Wesley lived, but no charges were filed. According to the police report, 13-year-old Briona Rodgers gave a statement when that complaint was filed.
Horton described Rodgers as a happy and outgoing teen who looked forward to high school.
“She was a typical teenager. She wasn’t someone who stayed in trouble or liked to be out here arguing or fighting. She was a real nice kid to be around,” Horton said.
Horton’s mother, Emma Atkins, added that Rodgers was an honor student who was selected for a chance to meet President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden last year. Rodgers also was in Sinclair Community College’s Young Scholars Program, according to Adam Murka, Sinclair spokesman.
This is the second fatal shooting the Rodgers family has suffered in less than three months. Frederick M. Rodgers Jr., Briona’s 27-year-old half-brother, was found shot to death in his Dayton apartment Dec. 11.
Wesley’s prison time, release
Wesley is back in Dayton after spending 18 years in prison for the 1994 murder of his former roommate, Marvin Williams Jr.
According to Dayton Daily News archives, prosecutors said it was Wesley’s idea to plead guilty to murder, so they would drop a grand theft charge and a firearm specification. He was sentenced to 15 years to life.
Ohio Parole Board records show Wesley was denied parole in 2004, 2008 and 2010, with case notes saying he had been “an enforcer for a major drug dealer” and adding that there was “substantial reason to believe that the inmate will engage in further criminal conduct.”
But in late 2012, Wesley was granted parole, over the objections of Marvin Williams’ mother, with case notes mentioning that Wesley earned his GED and completed anger counseling.
Wesley was released Sept. 4 and has lived on North McGee Street in East Dayton for the past few months, according to neighbors.
Donald Jones, who lives in that neighborhood, said police with guns drawn surrounded the three-family building on Sunday after the shooting more than five miles west, and federal marshals went inside the building around noon Monday.
Jones said he’s seen Wesley regularly in recent months, and saw him driving a large, dark brown GMC sport-utility vehicle the past few weeks. But Jones said he had no idea Wesley was recently out of prison after serving time for murder.
“He didn’t bother anybody around here,” Jones said. “But I just want him out of here now.”
Week of homicides
Five others were shot to death in Dayton between Tuesday night and Saturday night — Jillian Miles, 27, Oscar Beason, 95, Jason Rutledge, 29, Willie Boddie Jr., 28, and Charles Black, 26. One arrest has been made in the Rutledge case.
Major Chris Williams of Dayton Police called the run of six homicides in six days “very unusual but not unprecedented,” adding that he was not prepared to say whether any of the cases are connected.
Dayton Daily News research showed only two six-day periods in the past four years where there were even four homicides in Dayton. And since 2000, there has been only one two-month period with more homicides than the 10 committed this January and February. That stretch came in July and August of 2008, when there were 11 homicides.
David Greer, longtime chairman of Dayton’s Northwest Priority Board, said the community is upset about the recent rash of shootings.
“The senselessness of it all is what one can’t put their finger on,” Greer said. “It’s unfortunate that so many feel that they have to use guns to settle differences.”
Staff writers Lou Grieco, Kyle Nagel, Katie Wedell, Mandy Gambrell and John Bedell contributed to this story.
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