Two charged in case of Ohio teen's death in court this week
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Two people allegedly involved with trying to cover up a fatal shooting of a teenager during a gun purchase gone wrong are set to appear in court on Monday.
Raymor A. Dumas, 44, and Genee N. Dumas, 40, both face one count each of third-degree felony tampering with evidence and fifth-degree felony obstructing justice in connection with the death of 17-year-old Imperial Stewart in late September 2023.
According to body camera footage released by police, Genee Dumas allegedly attempted to break her daughter's cell phone because the girl was dating Michael Bowles, one of two people charged with murder in the Stewart case.
The body camera footage allegedly shows Genee Dumas smashing the phone against a desk at her daughter's school while her daughter yells "Keep breaking it" as police tell Genee Dumas to stop doing so. The daughter, a minor at the time, was arrested and charged as well. At the time, defense attorneys said Dumas knew nothing about Stewart's murder and prosecutors went overboard with the charges against her.
The exact circumstances surrounding Raymor Dumas' charges are not known.
The case started when Stewart was reported missing on Sept. 20, 2023; his body was found in northeast Columbus near Agler and Sunbury roads on Oct. 3.
Police said Stewart was trying to buy a gun from Michael Bowles when the 16-year-old suspect attempted to rob him. Police said that is when Michael Bowles allegedly shot and killed Stewart.
Charged in the case along with the Dumases are:
- Michael Bowles, 20 -- one count of aggravated murder, two counts of murder, and one count each of aggravated robbery, abuse of a corpse, and weapon under disability. No trial date is scheduled, according to online court records.
- 16-year-old (at the time of arrest) male -- murder and obstruction of justice charges
- Tywisha Peterson, 40 -- one charge of obstructing justice. She is the mother of Michael and Mi'quel Bowles. No trial date is scheduled.
- Mi'quel D. Bowles, 19, pleaded guilty on May 17 to a third-degree obstructing justice charge; he was sentenced to three years in prison and two years of probation.
- Michael R. Bowles Jr., 37 -- one charge of tampering with evidence. He pleaded guilty in December 2023; he currently has a sentencing date scheduled for Aug. 23.
- 17-year-old (at the time of arrest) female -- one count each of obstruction of official business, tampering with evidence, and resisting arrest. She admitted to the obstruction charge on Feb. 22.