Suspect in double homicide caught in Licking County
UTICA — Double homicide suspect Travis Bonham was arrested without incident Sunday afternoon on U.S. 62 in Licking County. A Mount Vernon woman who was with him also was arrested.
Bonham was being sought for questioning as a person of interest in the homicides of Sandra Stelk and Jaime Barber on Wednesday in a home outside Mount Vernon.
According to Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp, deputies and other law enforcement had been on the lookout for Bonham in the area Sunday afternoon after receiving information that he would attempt show up at his mother's calling hours in Johnstown.
Bonham's mother is Sandra Stelk, one of the homicide victims.
Just before 3 p.m. Sunday, a Mount Vernon Police Department officer spotted a vehicle headed south on South Main Street and noticed that a male passenger in the vehicle appeared to have numerous tattoos. As the vehicle passed, the man pulled up the hood on his sweatshirt and attempted to avoid the officer, who continued to follow the vehicle south on Ohio 661 until more officers could respond to the area.
The vehicle eventually was stopped just east of Lafayette Road In Licking County with the assistance of Licking County and Knox County sheriffs' deputies. Bonham was arrested without incident, and the driver of the vehicle, Ashli Price of Mount Vernon, also was arrested. Her driver's license is currently suspended, and she may be facing additional charges, according to Knox County Sheriff David Shaffer.
Just prior to the traffic stop and arrest, Adult Parole Authority Officer William Baer had established contact with Bonham by phone and had been attempting to arrange for his surrender, according to Shaffer.
Bonham was wanted on a warrant out of Knox County for grand theft. No charges related to the homicides have yet been filed.
Thorp and Shaffer both commended agencies across central Ohio for assisting in the search for Bonham.
"It's a great relief getting a very dangerous man off the streets," Thorp said.
Agencies that assisted included Mount Vernon, Newark, Columbus, Utica and Johnstown police departments; Knox, Licking and Franklin county sheriff's offices, State of Ohio Adult Parole Authority and the Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Task Force.