A triple homicide occurred on Saturday, December 14, in a residence in Columbus, Ohio, leading to a multifaceted criminal investigation as local law enforcement officers endeavor to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The deceased, 34-year-old Sierra Muse, 49-year-old Dawn Clover, and 36-year-old Tiffany Parrish, were discovered by De’Andre Herndon. He had visited the property located on the 1300 block of South Ohio Avenue to check on a friend. The friend was the wife of his childhood associate, Darrell Hambrick, who had tragically lost his life to a gunshot wound four days prior to the incident.

Speaking to the press, Columbus Police Sergeant James Fuqua remarked, “Unfortunately, this is a very complex scene with the amount of victims that we have. It’s going to take a little bit longer to make sure that we’re very careful in going through the scene meticulously so we do not miss any key piece of evidence.”

Officers arrived at the crime scene slightly before 4 p.m. and found one woman with a gunshot wound to her head. Subsequent investigations led to the discovery of two additional victims, also shot. The three women were declared dead at the scene.

The Columbus Division of Police has expedited its response to address public anxiety, assuring the community that a serial killer is not responsible for the murders. Detectives are investigating the links to the other homicide that took place on December 10 on the 700 block of East Moler Street, where Darrell Hambrick was murdered. Although a suspect, Haikiem Graham, 39, has been apprehended in the East Moler Street case, law enforcement believes additional culprits could be linked to both crimes.

No new suspects were in custody and investigators continue to interview potential witnesses and search for video evidence. They have urged anyone in the vicinity with cell phone or surveillance camera footage to assist them in their investigation.

The probe has uncovered potential drug-related links to the murders. According to Herndon, the location was reputed as a “trap house” – a term often used to describe a place frequented by drug users. Notably, despite Herndon’s visit to check on Hambrick’s wife, she was not among the victims as she was undergoing cancer treatment in a hospital at the time.

Police provided an incident report that labeled the shooting as “drug-related”.

Tiffany Parrish’s aunt, Kellie Argyle, described her as a compassionate and warm-hearted individual, stating that she was truly one of the finest women one could encounter.

Argyle shared that Tiffany would often forgo her own needs to ensure that everyone else was cared for before she herself would eat.

Parrish was a mother to four children aged 12 to 18. Argyle mentioned that she is unsure about who was responsible for Parrish’s death, but noted that before her death, Parrish had sent a text to her mother indicating that she was aware of Hambrick’s killer and was considering reporting what she knew to the authorities.

The Columbus Police Department continues its investigative efforts in both cases, seeking to identify links between the December 10 Hambrick murder and this triple shooting. The identification of potential additional suspects involved in either incident remains a priority.