Chasmine Richardson, a 23-year-old Black woman known to her loved ones as "Sunshine," was building a life for herself in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio. She was employed at Healthscope Benefits and had also begun a career at Fruition Hair Salon. Her life was characterized by her connections to a large and loving family, including her parents, Jada Ellison and Charles Richardson, and many siblings, nieces, and nephews.
On the night of Tuesday, February 12, 2019, that life was violently
interrupted. Just after 10 p.m., Columbus Police officers responded to a shooting call near the intersection of Loeffler Avenue and Bryden Road. They arrived to find Chasmine lying in the road next to her car with multiple gunshot wounds. She was rushed to Grant Medical Center in critical condition.
For four days, Chasmine fought for her life, but she succumbed to her injuries on Saturday, February 16. As her family grieved, investigators worked the case, determining that the shooting was the result of a failed robbery attempt. Their investigation quickly identified a suspect who was known to Chasmine.
Police arrested 26-year-old Nathan Jenkins and charged him with aggravated murder and robbery. The arrest occurred as Chasmine was passing away, a fact her mother, Jada Ellison, later acknowledged. "It gives me a sense of justice because you know what, as my baby was taking her last breath, he was getting arrested," she said. "So hey, that was my blessing."
The case against Nathan Jenkins proceeded through the justice system, bringing a final resolution for Chasmine's family later that year. In December 2019, Jenkins was sentenced to serve 35 years in prison for the fatal shooting.
