Murder of OSU student, Reagan Tokes, on 'Dateline'
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The original 2019 "Dateline NBC" episode covering the murder of Ohio State student Reagan Tokes airs Wednesday at 3 p.m. on NBC4 in the syndicated daily time slot of the true-crime show.
The official show description for "Dateline: Unchecked Evil" reads, "College student Reagan Tokes worked a late shift at a local restaurant, then went missing. Police wondered if a break-up was to blame or if a string of alarming attacks were related. What happened to Reagan left her family and a city outraged."
The devastating case began in February 2017, when Tokes' body was found in the Scioto Grove Metro Park. Investigators discovered Tokes was raped and murdered after being kidnapped from the Short North while leaving work for the night.
The investigation also revealed that Tokes’ killer committed several violent robberies leading up to the fatal shooting of the 21-year-old OSU student, all while being out on parole for a previous kidnapping and attempted rape charge. He was wearing a GPS tracker at the time but was not being actively monitored.
Currently, Tokes' family is trying to pass the second half of the Reagan Tokes Act, which focuses on closing gaps in the state’s legislation, focusing on how ex-prisoners are tracked by law enforcement after release.
“With legislative work, we’re still not done in Ohio,” Tokes’ sister, Makenzie Tokes, told NBC4 at a “Rally for Reagan” event in September that supports The Reagan Delaney Memorial Foundation. “And until we finish in Ohio we’re not going to move on to anything else, but having the events be held in Ohio is so important.”
A memorial in Tokes' honor, Reagan’s Garden, was created at Scioto Grove Metro Park. Her killer is currently serving a life sentence.
Watch "Dateline: Unchecked Evil," Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 3 p.m. on NBC4.
About 'Dateline'
"Dateline NBC" is the longest-running series in NBC primetime history and is in its 31st season. Dateline is anchored by Lester Holt and features correspondents Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Natalie Morales, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy.
Dateline is the #1 Friday newsmagazine and reaches more than 17 million people every week through its broadcast, and millions more through its social media platforms and podcasts.
The stories range from compelling mysteries to powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. When major news breaks, they go to the scene, putting the pieces together to bring the viewer the full picture. And in every story they tell, they help the real people who lived the events share their journeys with the viewer.