COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A man charged in the death of a mother attempting to prevent a carjacking changed his plea in court Thursday morning.
NBC4 reports that Gerald Dowling Jr., who pleaded not guilty to three felony charges in the death of Alexa Stakely, reversed course Thursday in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. Court records note that Dowling, now 20, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after he and two teenagers allegedly attempted to steal Stakely’s car while her 6-year-old son was sleeping in the back seat.
1 dead, 1 in custody after shooting in Columbus’ Polaris neighborhood
On July 11, 2024, Stakely was attempting to stop a carjacking near the intersection of Blue Knoll Drive and Annual Drive in southeast Columbus. Police said Stakely initially arrived at the apartment complex to pick up her son, who was being watched by a resident.
She reportedly brought out her child, who was asleep, and placed him in the back seat, then returned to the apartment to retrieve his belongings…