John Wilks was a 28-year-old father from Columbus, Ohio, remembered by his family as a gentle and loving man. His mother, Shari Wilks, described him as a "gentle giant" with a "heart of gold, and he was a calm presence and a great spirit." She said he thought of everyone and would do anything he could for anyone. At a vigil held in his honor, friends and family celebrated the life of the man who they said touched everyone's soul.
On the night of July 28, 2024, a dispute led to deadly
violence in the 700 block of South Ogden Avenue. Around 10 p.m., John Wilks was shot and killed. According to police, the shooter dragged his body into a nearby garage. A second person, a woman, was also shot during the incident. At his vigil, Wilks's father, Ronnie Wilks, spoke out against the senselessness of gun violence, hoping their family's pain might prevent another tragedy. His mother pleaded for people to "try to talk it out. Walk away, don't kill."
When Columbus police officers arrived at the scene, they saw a suspect driving away. They followed the car until the driver abandoned it and fled on foot. Inside the car, officers found the injured woman, who was transported to a hospital and listed in stable condition. After a brief chase, police apprehended the suspect, who witnesses identified as 18-year-old Mehki Miller. He was taken into custody that same night and initially charged with murder.
The case concluded in September 2025. On September 8, Mehki Miller, then 19, pleaded guilty to one count of murder with a three-year gun specification, felonious assault with a three-year gun specification, tampering with evidence with a one-year gun specification, and weapons under disability. He also pleaded guilty to an unrelated strangulation charge from 2024. For his crimes, Miller was sentenced to serve at least 21 years to life in prison.
