Jacob David Bowlin, a 41-year-old white male from Dayton, Ohio, was killed in the early morning hours of April 5, 2026, in a shooting near the intersection of Valley Street and Stanley Avenue. Known to loved ones as “Jay,” Bowlin had been born in Dayton on November 8, 1984, and remained tied to the city throughout his life. His death unfolded suddenly on a Sunday morning, in an area near Dayton Children’s Pediatrics, where police were called around 6:10 to 6:15 a.m.
after someone reported that a man had been shot.
When officers arrived, they found Bowlin lying in a side yard. He had been shot in the chest, and the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office later identified him as the man killed. The first moments described in emergency calls suggest a frantic and confused scene. A caller told dispatchers that his friend had been shot and was on the ground, not moving. When asked who had shot him, the caller reportedly said Bowlin had gotten into an altercation with a group of males, but he did not know who fired the shot.
Investigators said they had identified a potential suspect vehicle, but the available reports did not name a driver, a gunman, or any specific suspect. No public online source located reported an arrest, formal charges, indictment, trial, plea, or conviction in connection with Bowlin’s killing. The case, based on the available reporting, appeared to remain in the investigative stage, with police working from the location of the shooting, witness information, the 911 call, and the possible suspect vehicle.
Beyond the crime scene, Bowlin’s obituary described him as a Dayton native who was surrounded by family, friends, and the city he called home. He was remembered as the son of Corinna Ellis and Virgil Bowlin Sr., a brother to Virgil Bowlin Jr., Michael Bowlin, David Ellis, Adam Bowlin, and Autumn Bowlin, and an uncle and cousin within a large extended family. His funeral arrangements were handled through Newcomer Funeral Home in Dayton, with visitation and services scheduled for April 14, 2026.
