Ohio Man Forces Way into Ex-Wife's Apartment, Killing Her and New Boyfriend Before Turning Gun on Himself

• Three people were found dead in an apparent double murder-suicide at an apartment complex in Columbus, Ohio
• A man reportedly found his ex-wife at home with her new partner, forced entry, and fatally shot both before killing himself
• Authorities urge victims of domestic violence to seek help and emphasize the availability of shelters and confidential resources

Three people were found dead in Ohio from what police say was a double murder-suicide.

Aiden David, 19, Giannh Viars, 21, and Michael Hughes, 23, were all found dead at an apartment complex in Columbus at around 12:20 a.m. on Thursday, according to by the Columbus Dispatch, WDTN and 10 WBNS, who cited police. 

Police say that Viars and Hughes were married, but were separated, per the Dispatch. Viars and David started dating during the separation.

Viars and David were inside the apartment when Hughes arrived and fired a shot into the apartment, the Dispatch reported. Then Hughes forced his way into the apartment and shot David dead. 

Viars attempted to escape, but Hughes shot her by the front door of her apartment, where she collapsed, 10 WBNS reported, citing police. Police said that, according to witness statements, Hughes shot Viars one more time, killing her, before he turned the gun on himself. 

Joe Albert, a sergeant with the Columbus Police Department, told the outlet that he urges anyone who might be a victim of domestic violence to reach out. 

“Sadly, we’ve reported on this a lot. We’ve had a lot of domestic violence in the city,” Albert said to the outlet. “We can’t urge enough for people who are victims of domestic violence to reach out and get help.” 

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Albert noted to 10 WBNS that aggressors can often find out information about a victim through public records. He encouraged people to go through organizations like Lutheran Social Services, Franklin County’s only domestic violence emergency shelter, to help victims keep their information hidden.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.