Jwan N. Porter was 40 when she was found inside her Columbus home on Labelle Drive with a gunshot wound to the chest on October 9, 2018. She was taken to the hospital and died about an hour later. Known as TJ, she was a mother of five, worked for the City of Columbus and at the Westgate Recreation Center for more than a decade, and supervised direct care staff at Burge Services. Friends and neighbors remembered her energetic personality and her mentorship of children and young adults.

Investigators initially described the shooting as accidental, caused by someone mishandling a firearm in the house. Later inquiry identified a visitor, Eric Lamar Smith-Ross, as the person who allegedly fired the gun; he was arrested and charged with an offense related to Porter’s death and additional charges were said to be pending. Detectives continue to investigate the full circumstances.

Did anyone in the area know Jwan Porter or have information about the events in her home that night?