Isaac R. Keels, a 23-year-old African American male from Groveport, Ohio, tragically died on May 31, 2014. He was born on August 1, 1990, to Monica Keels and William "Rod" Pate in Columbus, Ohio. Isaac was a high school athlete who graduated from Groveport Madison High School in 2009. He is survived by his young daughter, Isabella Rose Keels, his fiancée and children's mother, Miranda Lucas, and his unborn daughter, Ivy.
Isaac's death was the result of a robbery gone wrong.
On the day of his death, Isaac arranged to sell a 9mm handgun to Ishmael D. Humphrey, an 18-year-old from Columbus, through a contact on Facebook. Humphrey planned to steal the gun instead of paying for it. When they met near 2581 Sandbury Blvd., Humphrey pulled out a small-caliber handgun and demanded the gun without paying. Isaac responded, "You'll have to kill me," and Humphrey shot him once in the chest as they sat in the car. Isaac's cousin, a 17-year-old, drove him to Columbus Fire Station No. 27, where Isaac was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital.
Humphrey was arrested and charged with murder. He pleaded guilty to one count of murder and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 15 years. During the court proceedings, Humphrey apologized briefly to Isaac's family, saying, "I should never have put myself in that situation." Isaac's mother, Monica Keels, expressed the profound impact of her son's death on their family, stating, "I haven't been the same. My family hasn't been the same."
The case brought attention to the dangers of illegal gun transactions and the devastating consequences they can have. Isaac's family established the Isaac Keels Memorial Fund to help care for his children. The community and Isaac's loved ones continue to remember him and honor his memory.
