Randy E. Allen, a 45-year-old man from Dayton, Ohio, was remembered by his family as a hard worker who always provided for them and would go above and beyond for others. His daughter called him the “rock” of their family and “a great man, father, husband, and papaw.” A father of two, he was considered a dad to many. According to his obituary, he loved playing pool and spending weekends with his granddaughter, Hazel.
On the morning of Saturday, June 17, 2023, a fight broke out in
the street on the 400 block of Linden Avenue in Dayton. Around 11:30 a.m., police were called to the scene on reports of the argument, which had escalated to gunfire. A Dayton Police major told reporters that when officers arrived, shots were still being fired. Police discovered Randy Allen deceased near a car that had a bullet hole in its passenger-side window.
The shooting prompted a massive police response and an hours-long standoff at the nearby Davis-Linden Building, a large, maze-like structure with more than 70 individual business spaces. Authorities believed a suspect had run inside. One person was arrested at the scene but later released. The building was searched, but the suspect, later identified as Jacob Ashba, was not found there. He was arrested later that night in the city of Centerville.
Ashba was charged in connection with Randy Allen’s death. He later entered a plea deal and pleaded guilty to reckless homicide, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, and discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises.
At Ashba’s sentencing hearing, Allen’s family spoke about their loss. His daughter, Sabrina, said that Ashba’s “decision to take my dad’s life is the most traumatizing thing our family has been through.” Allen’s wife, Alicia, told the court, “It hurts physically to put a smile on my face and act like I’m OK when, honestly, I’m not.” In February 2024, Jacob Ashba was sentenced to serve 12 to 13.5 years in prison.
