On January 7, 2025, at approximately 7:21 AM, Columbus Police officers responded to a disturbance call at an apartment in the 100 block of Chittenden Avenue. Upon arrival, officers encountered 28-year-old Gage Smith, who appeared to be in emotional distress. Inside the apartment, authorities discovered 32-year-old Autumn Ward, a white female, unresponsive with an apparent gunshot wound.
Columbus Fire medics arrived shortly after and pronounced her deceased at 7:49 AM.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the incident was related to domestic violence. According to police reports, Smith, a white male, had contacted authorities just before 7 AM, requesting officers be dispatched to the location. Upon their arrival, Smith admitted to shooting and killing Ward, whom he identified as his girlfriend. Officers found Ward suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.
Smith was taken into custody and charged with murder. He was ordered held on a $750,000 bond at his arraignment and is currently being held in the Franklin County jail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 17, 2025. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case, and anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Columbus Police Detective Camp-Donovan or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers.
