On May 22, 1978, Jerry Martin, a 47-year-old white male, and his wife Martha were tragically murdered in their home in northeast Columbus, Ohio. Jerry Martin served as the vice president and general manager of "Perma-stone," a local business. The couple was shot through a window screen during a robbery, and the perpetrators stole valuables from their residence before fleeing the scene. Initially, investigators had no immediate leads, but forensic ballistic analysis later revealed that the bullets recovered from the Martins' bodies matched those used in a series of other murders in the area.
The Martins were among the victims of a killing spree perpetrated by brothers Gary and Thaddeus Lewingdon, infamously known as the ".22 Caliber Killers." Between December 1977 and December 1978, the Lewingdon brothers committed multiple murders across Ohio, targeting individuals in their homes and businesses. Their crimes were characterized by extreme violence, with victims often shot multiple times. The murder of Jerry and Martha Martin was part of this series of brutal killings.
The breakthrough in the case came in December 1978, when Gary Lewingdon was arrested while attempting to use a stolen credit card belonging to one of their victims. During interrogation, Gary confessed to the series of murders, leading to the arrest of his brother Thaddeus. Both brothers were subsequently charged with multiple counts of murder, including the killings of Jerry and Martha Martin. Their arrest brought an end to a year-long reign of terror that had left several Ohio communities in fear.
