Michaela Carpenter, 29, was found dead in her Dayton, Ohio home on March 31, 2025. A relative discovered her after not hearing from her for several days; her two-year-old daughter was found unharmed but alone in the residence. The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office determined Carpenter died of a gunshot wound, and police are treating the case as a homicide.

Investigators reported signs of forced entry, suggesting the suspect may have broken into the home. Major Brian Johns said Carpenter had previously filed protection orders against at least one individual, though it is unclear whether any were active at the time of her death. No arrests have been announced.

Carpenter, known as Kayla or KK, was born February 14, 1996, in Belleville, Illinois. She worked in nursing facilities, was devoted to her three daughters Zella, Zamya, and Rainbow, and was remembered for her compassion, faith, and sense of humor. A fundraiser titled Honoring Kayla: A Mother’s Love Lives On was created to support her children.

If anyone has security footage or information from the areas of East Hudson Avenue, North Main Street, or Riverside Drive, please share what you know with investigators.