Four Charged with Murder in March Death of Columbus Man Found on Curtis Street
On March 29, 2025, Columbus Police officers responded to the 1100 block of Curtis Street following reports of an assault. Officers arrived to find 53-year-old Topher MacQuire conscious but experiencing chest pain. He was transported by EMS to Piedmont Columbus Regional, where he later died.
The department’s Violent Crimes Unit took over the investigation. An autopsy determined MacQuire’s death to be a homicide, and investigators later learned the assault that led to his death occurred on Beacon Avenue, just a few blocks away from where he was found.
After further investigation, police charged four individuals with Murder and Aggravated Assault:
- Stacy McDowell, 50
- Michael Dowling, 35 (already incarcerated on unrelated charges)
- Tyler Dowling, 31
- John Bryant, 53
All four suspects appeared in Recorder’s Court on July 30, 2025. Their cases were bound over to Superior Court. The investigation is ongoing.
