The family of a 25-year-old woman were left devastated after she was senselessly killed while going through a Taco Bell drive-thru in northeast Ohio.
Megan Keleman was simply waiting for her meal at the fast food joint in Stow on Wednesday when a mysterious and tragic series of events unfolded.
All of a sudden, a vehicle slammed into Keleman’s car from behind as she was stalled in line – then the driver exited and approached her.
Witnesses at the scene recall seeing the driver walk up to Keleman as she sat in her own vehicle… before fatally shooting her and then turning the weapon on himself.
The driver responsible for the apparent murder-suicide has been identified as 53-year-old Jason Williams, also from Stow. Cops said they have no indication the two even knew each other.
People at the scene told police that Williams hit Keleman’s car after honking his horn as she pulled into the drive-thru.
A Taco Bell employee called the Stow Police Department at 7:19 pm on Wednesday night when the incident occurred – but it was too late to save the 25-year-old victim.
Both Keleman and Williams were pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds – and the Summit County Medical Examiner will be conducting autopsies.
While detectives continue to investigate the puzzling and heartbreaking occurrence, Williams’s motive remains unclear.
Authorities do not have any information indicating that Williams and Keleman were acquianted before the shooting, according to police chief Jeffrey Film.
‘As chief of police and a community leader, I would like to say that this is a true tragedy. Not only the Keleman’s lost a daughter, but we as a community lost one of our daughters,’ Chief Film said.
Keleman was described as an animal lover by those that knew her – and her dog was in the car with her at the time of the horrifying incident.
The dog has now been reunited with Keleman’s family.
They put out a family statement: ‘In light of the recent events, our family is enduring an immensely painful loss of Megan Elizabeth Keleman.
‘We kindly ask for the media and the public’s understanding for our privacy during this difficult time.
‘We appreciate the community’s support and hope that our request for privacy will be honored so we can continue to focus on supporting each other through this difficult period.’
Keleman recently graduated from Cleveland State University – where she received a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in finance and financial management services.
On her Linkedin page, she described herself as a ‘child advocate and bookkeeper.’
She worked for Shelter Care Inc., a Tallmadge, Ohio-based residential treatment program for children between the ages of 6 and 18 who have emotional or behavioral problems.
Williams’s previous criminal history includes a recent weapons arrest in Summit County, according to 19 News.
Court records show he was out on bond for that weapon-related charge – and a condition of the bond was that he was not supposed to possess any firearms.