Suspect Shoots Couple, Kidnaps Daughter

WCMH-TV ^ | August 9, 2003 | WCMH-TV

[Sunshine55]

Suspect Shoots Couple, Kidnaps Daughter

Mayhew Considered Armed, Dangerous

POSTED: 8:06 a.m. EDT August 8, 2003

UPDATED: 1:21 p.m. EDT August 9, 2003

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Columbus police are looking for a suspect who allegedly shot and killed a couple and kidnapped an 18-year-old girl from inside a West Columbus home Thursday night.

Police said a man carrying a semiautomatic weapon burst into the home on Springmont Avenue and began shooting at about 10 p.m. Tamera McKibben, 34, was killed along with her 39-year-old boyfriend, Frank Rigsby.

The suspect, John Richard Mayhew (pictured, left), 35, then kidnapped Kristy McKibben (pictured, right), 18, and drove away, police said. She is Mayhew's biological daughter.

Tamera McKibben was on the phone with a 911 operator from her home just minutes before she was murdered, telling the dispatcher that Mayhew had tried to kidnap their daughter, Kristy.

"I have my daughter here," she said. "I have her locked in my house to where he can't get to her."

Kristy McKibben also spoke with the dispatcher:

Dispatcher: Did he threaten you with the gun?

Kristy McKibben: He didn't threaten me. He threatened to shoot my mom if I didn't give him the number to where I was supposed to be staying in California.

Within minutes, police said Mayhew returned to the home and murdered the woman and her boyfriend.

Medics found Tamera McKibben's body in the living room. Rigsby's body was found in the front doorway. McKibben's three other children were in the home at the time of the shooting but were not hurt, NewsChannel 4's Kyle Anderson reported.

Neighbors said they heard several gunshots.

"I heard four or five gunshots," neighbor Jim Greer said. "I seen two people come out from behind the fence over there and get in the car that was parked behind my truck. And they sped off real fast right after the shots."

Mayhew is driving a teal 1993 Mazda four-door with Ohio license plate number DQ41QT.

Mayhew is considered armed and dangerous. Police said he may be looking for other victims, but would not elaborate.

"Every police agency in our state has been notified," Columbus police Sgt. Dana Norman said. "We're looking in southern Ohio and we're also looking here in Columbus."

One of the few leads investigators have is a phone call from Kristy McKibben. She placed a call at about 8:30 a.m. Friday and said that she was OK, but she gave no clues about her location.

Family members said it was likely that the couple was shot while protecting Kristy McKibben from her father, NewsChannel 4's Natalie Walston reported.

A woman who was married to Rigsby said she knew someone was obsessed with Kristy McKibben, but that she didn't know it was Mayhew.

Rigsby had a 13-year-old daughter, Tina Newsome, who lives in Portsmouth with her grandparents. She said she was in town to go school shopping with her father.

"He was nice ... he was loving ... and I miss him very much," Newsome said.

A woman who lived near the couple said they were planning on getting married in November.

Police have no motive for the shootings and kidnapping. Anyone with information should call police at (614) 645-4730.

Stay with NewsChannel 4 and nbc4columbus.com for more information.

[Sunshine55]

I've put off posting this, because I honestly thought this psychopath would have been caught by now. But it's not looking good, and I wanted to send a heads up to any Freepers located in the Cincinnati-Tri State area because police have stated that Mayhew has family there. This took place around the corner from my Mom's house on the west side, and this girl is due to start school with my daughter on the 26th of August. We're praying that this will be a possibility. She has made telephone contact with her Grandmother, but asked about her Mom, so it appears that she is not aware just how serious her Mom's injuries were. The Mazda should not be hard to miss, because it has a huge smiley face on the hood (unless he has ditched it somewhere.)

[Sunshine55]

John Richard Mayhew

[Sunshine55]

Kristy McKibben

[raybbr]

Police said he may be looking for other victims, but would not elaborate.

Why can't they alert others so they may be able to defend themselves?

[Sunshine55]

I have a feeling that if they believe he headed for Cincy, that possibly he has another biological child there, or perhaps another ex-wife that he'd like revenge on...let's hope that they have the home(s) of the suspected other victims staked out soundly.

[trussell]

Heads up ping. Another mother shot dead, another child taken. This one is a little older, but no less important.

Blessings,
trussell

[Sunshine55]

Thanks. This reminds me alot of the Short murders in West VA, and I was surprised to see that it was not alredy posted.

[Sunshine55]

already, even

[SAMWolf]

Prayers being offered.

[firewalk]

here's a bttt

[Dubya]

Hi Sunshine
I will pray for her and her loved ones.
I'm in Texas so I guess he want be coming here.
I will watch anyway.

[kayak]

bttt

[trussell]

You're welcome. Happy to help get the word out.

[itzmygun]

Guaranteed that in the last moments inside that home, someone spoke the words, "I wish we had a gun." Locked doors and the police couldn't protect them, but a gun would have stopped it as soon as the guy attempted to break in.
I can only hope some people out there who don't own guns learn a lesson from this. You may think it will never happen to you, but it's a heck of a way to find out you were wrong.

I hope they can save this girl and then put a bullet in this murderer.

[Henrietta]

"Police said a man carrying a semiautomatic weapon..."

Oh, those horrible semi-auto weapons!!! They would rather he had used a revolver?????

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks Trussell. Prayers on the way.

[Sandylapper]

Thanks, trussell. Pretty girl. Hope this guy won't harm her.

[ValerieUSA]

Her mom must have been 16 when she was born.
I sure hope she is found alive. What a horrible experience.

[Paul_B]

I've no doubt they're doing just that, privately.

[Alamo-Girl]

How sad...