On August 26, 2020, at approximately 2:22 a.m., Dayton police responded to reports of a shooting in the 900 block of Gard Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered 18-year-old Nascia Goodwin deceased in a vacant lot, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The Montgomery County Coroner's Office later ruled her death a homicide.
Investigators quickly identified a person of interest in the case.
Walter Rodgers, a 30-year-old Dayton resident and co-worker of Goodwin, was arrested at Dayton Police headquarters on the afternoon of the shooting. He was subsequently charged with two counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, and one count of having a weapon while under disability. Court records indicated that Rodgers and Goodwin had a romantic relationship, and some of Goodwin's belongings were found in Rodgers' home.
Despite the arrest and charges, the case remains unresolved. As of September 2024, more than four years after the incident, the Dayton Police Department's Cold Case Unit continues to seek information to bring closure to Goodwin's family. Miami Valley Crime Stoppers has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest or conviction in connection with Goodwin's death. Detectives urge anyone with information, no matter how minor it may seem, to come forward to assist in solving the case.
