5-Months-Pregnant Ohio Woman Found Dead Days After Boyfriend Is Shot to Death
A pregnant Ohio woman has been found dead in a vacant home — just days after her boyfriend was found shot to death in another abandoned dwelling.
Kyla Hayton, 20, and Todd Burkhart, 28, were last seen on November 16. Four days later, their Toyota Corolla was found in a depressed area of Dayton, Ohio. At least one window was broken, according to the Mansfield News Journal.
Two days after the discovery of the abandoned vehicle, authorities received a tip to search a nearby vacant home. That’s where they found Burkhart’s body. He was dead from multiple gunshot wounds, Fox8 reports. Hayton was still missing.
Authorities began searching the area using cadaver dogs. They found Hayton’s body in a different abandoned building. Her death is also being classified as a homicide, but authorities have not released details about how she died. She was five months pregnant.
Police in Mansfield, Ohio, say the couple was traveling together when they were last seen. “We do believe they were together when they left the area, from the information given to Mansfield police from family, and that they were traveling to Columbus or Dayton,” Mansfield police Capt. Shari Robertson told the Mansfield News Journal. It’s unclear what they were doing in the neighborhood where they were found.
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According to the Mansfield News Journal, Larry Rodgers, 30, is being held in the Montgomery County Jail on unrelated weapons charges, PEOPLE confirms. Police tell the newspaper that Rodgers and Burkhart were acquaintances.
Although police have confirmed to PEOPLE that Rodgers is a person of interest, they have not yet charged him with any crimes involving the murder. Court records do not reflect an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
Burkhart and Hayton had a 4-year-old daughter. She was staying with Hayton’s mother and was unharmed.
Hayton’s father, Brent Hayton, told the Times Gazette he received a text from his daughter’s phone on Saturday. He said that he was sure that the text was not authored by his daughter. He was unable to reach her by phone. He tells the newspaper that he normally spoke with Kyla at least every other day.
Police say that they are continuing to investigate the murders.
