Arrest and Charges
Columbus police announced that officers took Spears into custody on January 15 after a series of incidents reported in neighborhoods off the Hard Road corridor between Sawmill Road and Smoky Row Road. Investigators say Spears is charged with attempted rape and aggravated burglary in connection with at least two separate break-ins where women were attacked as they slept inside their unlocked homes. Authorities also noted that Spears was arrested on an active felony warrant for strangulation.
Pattern of Overnight Break-ins
Detectives say the case dates back several weeks, when residents in the Sawmill and Hard Road area began reporting a man prowling around homes in the early morning hours, checking doors and looking for easy ways inside. Surveillance and doorbell cameras captured a man dressed in dark clothing repeatedly testing front and back doors between roughly midnight and 5:30 a.m., often targeting properties where doors were left unlocked. Police previously warned the community that the prowler was considered dangerous and might be linked to an attempted sexual assault.
Alleged Attacks Inside Homes
Court documents describe two disturbing overnight encounters on January 9 in which a man allegedly slipped into homes through unlocked patio doors and entered bedrooms where women were sleeping. In one incident, police say the intruder tried to sexually assault a woman in her bedroom before a struggle ensued and he fled when she screamed for help. In another home just streets away, the suspect is accused of groping a woman as she slept next to her husband, then running off and stealing a wallet when she woke up and raised the alarm.
Evidence Trail and Community Role
Investigators say a flood of tips and video clips from neighbors helped them track the suspect’s movements across multiple yards and driveways and ultimately identify Spears as the alleged prowler. Residents in the affected northwest Columbus neighborhoods shared doorbell and security footage within local groups, allowing police to map out a route that appeared to show the same man trying doors at several homes on the same night. Detectives have publicly thanked community members for quickly submitting videos and other evidence that they say were critical to making an arrest.
Ongoing Investigation and Safety Advice
Columbus police are urging anyone who believes they may have been targeted, or who has additional video from the overnight hours in the Sawmill and Hard Road area, to contact investigators or submit anonymous tips through Central Ohio Crime Stoppers. Authorities continue to advise residents to keep all doors locked, use exterior lighting and security cameras when possible, and call 911 immediately if they see suspicious activity around their homes. Spears is expected to appear in Franklin County Municipal Court for arraignment as prosecutors review the case for possible additional charges.