On February 29, 2024, in Cincinnati's East Price Hill neighborhood, 62-year-old Sheila Asher-Hayes was fatally shot in an incident that also claimed the lives of 69-year-old Shelby Carpenter and 45-year-old Dustin Bolen. The tragedy unfolded around 9 a.m. on Wells Street, where police discovered Carpenter and Asher-Hayes with gunshot wounds near the end of the street. During a search for the suspect, officers found Bolen in a nearby wooded area with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
All three individuals were transported to UC Medical Center, where Carpenter and Bolen were pronounced dead later that day. Asher-Hayes succumbed to her injuries on March 1.
Investigations revealed that Carpenter was both Bolen's father and landlord. Court documents showed that Carpenter had initiated eviction proceedings against Bolen, issuing notices in December 2023 and February 2024, with a court hearing scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on the day of the shooting—approximately 30 minutes after the incident occurred. Neighbors confirmed the familial relationship between Carpenter and Bolen. The connection between Asher-Hayes and the two men remains unclear, though reports indicate she was a childhood friend of Carpenter.
Asher-Hayes, a resident of Cleves, Ohio, was remembered as a loving mother and grandmother who selflessly devoted her life to helping others. Her daughter, Dena Temke, described her as the "stitch of the family" and noted that she often took in people experiencing homelessness. Temke expressed profound grief over the loss, stating, "I don’t know how to be in this world without her."
The Cincinnati Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. Authorities have not disclosed further details about the relationships among the individuals involved or the events leading up to the shooting. They urge anyone with information to contact the Cincinnati Police.
