(LISBON, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost partnered with the Columbiana County Prosecutor’s Office to solve a 2012 cold case homicide. A Columbiana County grand jury indicted Kevin Kirby, 44, last week for his role in the murder of Melinda Todd and the attempted murder of her 5-year-old grandson, Cole Reed.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation has been diligently working on the case with officials from Columbiana County, including the sheriff’s office and prosecutor’s office.
Kirby faces four felony charges, which include:
- 2 counts of Aggravated Murder
- 1 count Attempted Murder
- 1 count Tampering with Evidence
Kirby was served his charges last week at Belmont Correctional Institute where he is currently incarcerated on an unrelated charge.
Todd, 43, of Salem, was found dead in her home on Dec. 3, 2012, alongside her 5-year-old grandson, Cole Reed, who was severely injured. It was later determined that both had been beaten with a blunt instrument inside their State Route 45 residence in Salem Township. Reed had to undergo several surgeries and months of physical therapy because of his wounds.
Indictments merely contain allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.