On September 17, 2024, Umedjon Rustamjon Mavlonkulov, 27, was shot and killed in the lobby of the La Quinta Inn on Springfield Pike in Springdale, a Cincinnati suburb. He was the hotel’s night manager and was found deceased behind the front desk after officers responded to reports of shots fired at about 7:19 AM. Surveillance footage recorded the incident.

Police identified 28-year-old De’Sean McKinley Buckner as the suspect. Investigators say Buckner spoke briefly with Mavlonkulov at the front desk, then produced a semi-automatic handgun and shot him multiple times. Buckner fled in a dark-colored 2024 Mazda CX-30 that was a rental from Jake Sweeney Mazda; he had been staying at the La Quinta from September 13 to 18.

Authorities tracked the rental using license plate readers and located Buckner in Columbus. He was arrested there on September 18, 2024, without incident and was held at the Franklin County Justice Center pending extradition to Hamilton County. Buckner has been charged with aggravated murder; no motive or court dates have been announced. If anyone has information, contact the Springdale Police at 513-346-5760 or Crimestoppers at 513-352-3040.