Four arrested and charged with murder after aggravated assault in Columbus
Four people have been arrested in connection with the death of a man on Curtis Street in March, the Columbus Police Department announced Thursday.
Police said the four suspects were arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault in connection with the death of 53-year-old Topher MacQuire.
Police identified those people as:
- Stacy McDowell, 50
- Michael Dowling, 35 (already jailed on separate charges)
- Tyler Dowling, 31
- John Bryant, 53
CPD public information officer Brittany Santiago said McDowell is the mother of Michael Dowling and Tyler Dowling, who she said are brothers. Bryant is McDowell’s boyfriend, according to Santiago.
Police said officers responded March 29 to the 1100 block of Curtis Street to check on a person who had been assaulted. Responding officers found MacQuire, who was conscious and complaining about chest pains, according to police.
MacQuire was taken to a local hospital, where he died, according to police.
Police said an autopsy revealed MacQuire’s death was a homicide. The investigation revealed the assault leading to MacQuire’s death occurred on Beacon Avenue, a few blocks from where he was found, the news release says. Police didn’t release whether any weapons (and what type) were involved in the assault.
The four suspects appeared in Recorder’s Court Wednesday, where their cases were bound over to Superior Court, according to police.
Police said the case remains under investigation.
This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 4:44 PM.