Paul Body, a 42-year-old Black/African American man, was shot and killed late on July 8, 2025, in Dayton, Ohio. Police were dispatched just before 11:30 p.m. to the area of North Main Street and Ernst Avenue, where he was found and pronounced dead at the scene by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. Investigators believed a suspect might be inside a home in the 2400 block of North Main Street, prompting a SWAT and Hostage Negotiation Team response; the residence was cleared and the suspect
was not found.
Within weeks, detectives and prosecutors identified the suspect as Damarez D. Jones, 27, Body’s nephew. According to charging documents summarized by local reporting, Jones had asked for a ride to retrieve his phone; an argument erupted in the vehicle, and he allegedly shot Body from the back seat before fleeing. A woman who had arrived with Body was able to identify Jones to authorities.
A Montgomery County grand jury indicted Jones on July 23, 2025, on multiple counts, including two counts of murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, three counts of having weapons under disability, and discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises. He was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on a $1 million bond while awaiting arraignment. In the days after the shooting, relatives and friends gathered for a balloon release and vigil honoring Body’s life.
