19-Year-Old Columbus Man Sentenced to 21 years for Hilltop Shooting
A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for the fatal shooting in Columbus’s Hilltop neighborhood that occurred in July 2024.
According to Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Shayla Favor, Mehki Miller pleaded guilty to several charges, including:
- Murder
- Felonious assault
- Tampering with evidence
- Having weapons under disability
- Strangulation (from a separate case)
The charges stem from an incident on July 28, 2024, when officers from the Columbus Division of Police responded to a report of gunfire in the 700 block of South Ogden Avenue.
At the scene, police found 28-year-old John Wilks unresponsive with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at 10:25 p.m. A woman also suffered a gunshot wound and was transported to Grant Medical Center, where she was listed in stable condition.
Court records revealed that a physical altercation between Miller and Wilks escalated when Miller pulled a firearm from his waistband and shot Wilks at close range. As Wilks attempted to escape, Miller shot him again multiple times and later dragged his body to a detached garage before fleeing.
The circumstances surrounding how the woman was shot were not disclosed in court documents.
This case adds to the growing concern over youth violence and gun-related crimes in Columbus neighborhoods like Hilltop.
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