On the evening of October 30, 1987, three individuals, including Donnie Marker, were killed in a brutal homicide at a farmhouse located on Consolidated Road in Eaton, Ohio. The victims—David Smelser, 31; Melinda Newcomb, 24; and Donnie Marker, 28—were each shot at least once in the head. Their bodies were discovered three days later, on November 2, when a friend of Smelser, Doug Crowell, went to check on him after he failed to show up for work.
Smelser's body was found lying in the living room, while Marker and Newcomb were found in the kitchen, indicating a sudden and violent attack without any sign of struggle.
Investigators believe that Smelser may have been the primary target of the attack, while Marker and Newcomb may have been killed because they unexpectedly walked in on the scene. The farmhouse, an isolated cabin that sat more than 200 yards from the road, added to the difficulty of solving the crime, as no immediate witnesses could provide information about what transpired that night. The scene itself, with a quiet house, a chained dog, and a country radio station playing in the background, was hauntingly calm considering the violence that had taken place inside.
The night of the incident, Marker and Newcomb had been drinking at a local bar, The Stable, in Eaton. Marker, who did not have a valid driver's license, needed a ride home, and Newcomb offered to give him a lift. It remains uncertain whether Newcomb and Marker had known each other before that night. Both of them were found shot inside the cabin, suggesting they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Donnie Marker, originally from Preble County, had recently returned to the area after living in Colorado. He had left his wife and three children behind in Colorado and was trying to rebuild his life. At the time of his death, he was working at a poultry processing plant and staying with Smelser in the cabin. Newcomb, who worked at a group home for adults with mental disabilities, was known to her family and friends as a kind, witty person who was trying to find her place in life. She had recently applied to Sinclair Community College, hoping to pursue her education further.
Despite investigations and occasional leads, the case remains unsolved. The Preble County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation have pursued various angles over the years, but no arrests have been made. A "person of interest" has been identified, yet there has not been sufficient evidence to bring charges against this individual. The triple homicide continues to be a painful memory for the families of the victims and a vexing cold case for investigators, who are still searching for answers even decades after the murders took place.
