🔦 Yet another tragedy

Stow is struck by its third murder in less than six months.

Today is Jan. 30, 2025.

  • Good morning! After a long stretch of bitterly cold temperatures, we’re finally starting to warm up and melt some of that snow that’s been on the ground for several weeks. Today it’s going to be sunny to partly cloudy and milder, with the high reaching 43 degrees and the low still above freezing at 36. So does this mean the worst is behind us? Well, the early forecast for Groundhog Day on Feb. 2 is calling for considerable cloudiness in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, which means there might be a good chance that Punxsutawney Phil won’t see his shadow — and we all know that means spring will come early. But then there’s this: As of 2024, Phil has seen his shadow 107 times and not seen it 20 times. So the odds are stacked against us.

  • A WEEK OFF FOR THE SPOTLIGHT: We’re taking a planned one-week break after today’s newsletter, so the next issue of The Spotlight will hit your inbox Thursday, Feb. 13. We’re running an expanded Community Calendar in this issue so you don’t miss any events going on in our communities, and we’ll be sure to pack the Feb. 13 issue with any news that happened in our absence, so all the bases will still be covered.

  • INTERNET POSTER HOAXING SILVER LAKE: It seems a hoax involving a “crime” in Silver Lake is making the rounds on social media. Village officials have alerted residents to the issue, and the Silver Lake Police Department issued the following statement to correct the record: “Last night [Jan. 25], someone made a post on Cuyahoga Falls Talk of the Town, stating there was an attempted break in at a home somewhere in the Village. The post stated two individuals attempted to enter a house a few blocks from Vincent, and were greeted by the homeowner who held them at gunpoint until police arrived and were able to take them into custody. The Silver Lake Police Department had no reports of break-ins, burglaries, or anything along those lines. There is no truth to that post and should be treated as a hoax. If you have any questions, please contact the PD.”

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Stow

Tragedy upon tragedy: Stow resident Latoia Philpott, 41, killed by sheriff’s deputy boyfriend in murder-suicide

Latoia Renee Philpott

Tragedy has again struck the Stow community, leaving two more people dead in the third instance of violent crime in the city in just over five months.

According to the Stow Police Department, 41-year-old Latoia Renee Philpott was fatally shot inside her home on Meadowlark Trail in Stow on Jan. 27 by her boyfriend, Benjamin Asiedu, 43, of Akron. Asiedu, a Summit County sheriff’s deputy, then shot himself.

Benjamin Asiedu

The bodies were first discovered by family members, who went to Philpott’s home after attempts to reach her had been unsuccessful.

It’s the third murder in Stow since last August and the second involving a murder-suicide, with the death toll now standing at five, including three Stow residents.

Here’s what happened according to Stow PD:

  • At 3:57 p.m. Jan. 27, Stow police responded to a report of a possible suicide in the 4100 block of Meadowlark Trail. Upon arrival, officers found a male and female who had been fatally shot inside the home.

  • The deceased were identified as Latoia Renee Philpott and Benjamin Asiedu.

  • The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Philpott’s death a homicide; she had been shot six times.

  • Asiedu’s death was ruled a suicide caused by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

  • Philpott was a mother of five (three adult children and two juveniles), while Asiedu had one juvenile daughter. Philpott and Asiedu had been dating for a little over a year.

  • According to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Asiedu was hired in 2023 as a sheriff’s deputy assigned to the jail.

  • The surviving family was assisted by Summit County Victim’s Assistance and Summit County Children’s Services.

Philpott’s family issued the following statement through Stow PD:

“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, sister, daughter, and friend, Latoia Philpott. At this time, we ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult loss and make arrangements. We are truly grateful for the love, support, and condolences we have already received from friends, family, community and local law enforcement during this incredibly challenging time.”

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Stow police are continuing to investigate. Call 330-689-5770 if you have any information.

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