Jordan Ashe, a 30-year-old Black man and father of two, was a security guard at the Palms Lounge and Grill in Harrison Township, Ohio. Though he was off-duty on the night of November 18, 2024, he was at the lounge when a disturbance broke out involving a patron.
In the early hours of November 19, at approximately 1 a.m., Ashe assisted other staff members in escorting the patron, Talbert Grooms, from the establishment following a disagreement that led to a brief fight.
After being removed, Grooms went to his vehicle, retrieved a handgun, and returned to the lounge. He then shot Jordan Ashe multiple times. Deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrived and attempted life-saving measures, but Ashe was pronounced dead at the scene.
Grooms fled the lounge in his car. Shortly thereafter, deputies investigating the shooting learned of a nearby car crash at Shiloh Springs Road and North Main Street. The driver had fled the scene on foot, but witness descriptions of the man and his vehicle matched those from the shooting. Authorities identified the suspect as Grooms and went to his residence. He arrived there while they were present, muddy and with visible injuries consistent with having been in a car crash. He was taken into custody.
The killing left the community in shock. LaRhan Wilkinson, the owner of the Palms Lounge and Grill, described the scene as a nightmare, stating, “I can’t unsee what I saw. It’s tragic and heartbreaking.” Ashe’s mother, Nicolea Wise, later said her son’s life was taken because his killer “couldn’t take the loss. He lost a fight, a fist fight, and retaliated by going to get a firearm and shooting and killing my son.”
In October 2025, Talbert Grooms pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter as part of a plea agreement. In exchange for his plea, several other charges, including two counts of murder, were dismissed. In court, Grooms offered a brief apology to the family, saying, “This was an unfortunate set of circumstances and I’m really sorry to the family.” Ashe’s family expressed that they did not believe his remorse was genuine.
A judge sentenced Grooms to an agreed-upon prison term of 17 to 22 years. His first opportunity for parole will be after serving 17 years. The case was closed with his sentencing in October 2025.
