Columbus Police Arrest Suspect in 2021 Killing Outside MK Mart

Nearly four years after the fatal shooting of 39-year-old Walter Benjamin Christopher, Columbus Police have arrested a suspect in the case.

On November 16, 2025, the department’s Special Operations Unit took 21-year-old Jy’Keiveous Jiles into custody in connection with the long-unsolved homicide.

The shooting happened on December 7, 2021, around 8:30 p.m. Officers were called to the MK Mart on Farr Road, where they found Christopher suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to Piedmont Columbus Regional and later died.

Investigators determined that Christopher was shot during a struggle with a man attempting to steal his Jeep Cherokee. Christopher, a Kendrick High School graduate and Navy veteran, left behind four young children. His mother told investigators the family deserved answers about who took his life.

Detectives worked the case for years, but early leads grew cold. Police have not disclosed what new information finally identified a suspect, but on September 25, 2025, investigators secured warrants for Jiles on charges of: Murder, Criminal Attempt – Hijacking a Motor Vehicle and Theft by Receiving (Motor Vehicle).

Jiles is scheduled to appear in Recorder’s Court for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 8:30 a.m.