A homicide investigation that began in a small Kentucky town has ended, for now, with an arrest more than 400 miles away. April Barlow Celio, 41, was found dead September 23rd at a home in Pineville, Kentucky. Authorities ruled her death a homicide, and soon after, investigators learned she had been pregnant. The State Medical Examiner’s Office found no fetus in her womb. Fetal remains were later located while the crime scene was processed.
DeMarcus Kenneth Johnson-Wright was identified as a suspect in the case. He already had outstanding violent felony warrants in Tennessee, and after a weeklong investigation, U.S. Marshals arrested him at a home in Clarksville. Officials say materials related to the case were recovered there. He is being held in the Montgomery County Detention Center and faces charges including first-degree robbery, kidnapping, murder-domestic violence and tampering with physical evidence. He is awaiting extradition to Kentucky, and the investigation remains ongoing.
While this case unfolded in Kentucky and Tennessee, it carries familiar weight for families here on the Suncoast. Domestic violence doesn’t stay in one state or one zip code, and pregnancy is often a period of heightened risk for victims. Local advocates urge anyone in an unsafe situation to reach out for help before it escalates. What questions do you have about this case or about local resources for domestic violence survivors?
