On November 21, 2021, 14-year-old Landon Lockhart of Youngstown, Ohio, was killed. Landon, the youngest of four children and described as the foundation of his family, was last seen with three 17-year-old boys after leaving a relative’s house; he later sent a text saying he was being taken to Dale Avenue. His body was found on January 13, 2022, in a wooded area on Youngstown’s East Side.

Witnesses said Landon and the three youths rode in a small black car to the East Side, where Landon and two of the boys walked around a corner. Gunshots were heard soon after; two of the teens returned to the car without Landon and were carrying guns. All three were charged with aggravated murder. One, Elijah Carlisle, admitted to involuntary manslaughter with a gun specification and agreed to testify against the others as part of a plea. The other two, Anjuan Whitfield and Anthony Wilkins Jr., accepted plea agreements and were sentenced to 17 to 22 1/2 years for involuntary manslaughter.

Court filings described the defendants as involved in a car theft ring and said they had been at a party the night Landon died; the judge referenced failures in home and school systems as factors in teen violence. Landon’s family has spoken publicly about their grief and continues to seek justice. Does anyone have information about Landon’s last movements or the people he was with that night?